Unquestionable Love: The Untold Stories
by CRMediaGal
Summary: A collection of stories centered around the Snape family and the Unquestionable Love saga, set at various times between the Prequel, the original, and after the original. Stories will contain Drama, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, and Romance. AU, Post-DH. *Prompts welcomed!*
1. Of Diapers and Duties

**A/N: Hello, everyone. _Unquestionable Love_ has returned yet again! :)  
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**I've decided to put together an ongoing collection of stories about the Snape family rather than continue with individual one-shots, unless they would involve a plot that could potentially become novel-length. I hope those of you who've read the series to this point will find these new tales exciting, because I would love _your_ input for this collection! **

**In the past, I've received a few suggestions for stories readers wanted to read. I've tried to retain those I could in the back of my mind, and I'd like to honor them here. Because this will be an ongoing collection, _I welcome your suggestions for any prompts and/or stories you'd like to read about_, _whether they involve Severus and Hermione alone or one of them and the girls, etc._ I will, of course, be including my own ideas as well, but this collection has the potential to be more interactive, which is my hope, so _I'm happy to take requests!_ And I hope this collection will be enticing enough to you to check in from time to time. :)  
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**Important Notes Before Reading: Expect these stories to be out of order and to take place at different time frames, either between the _Prequel_ and the original or after the original. Some will be set when the girls are younger and others when they're older. Also, though the rating for this collection is T, expect an occasional M-rated story to crop up from time to time. (I will put up a warning for these stories.) Lastly, updates may be sporadic, depending upon the number of prompts received and work that continues on my other WIPs.  
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**__****_Please don't forget to review as you read! Feedback encourages my Muse, and I do love hearing what you guys think. Without your thoughts, it isn't worth sharing._**   


**Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **  


* * *

_**Unquestionable Love: The Untold Stories**_

**By CRMediaGal**

* * *

**Of Diapers and Duties**

_Hermione returns home to a sight that makes more than one family member giggle._

* * *

Hermione Flooed to the familiar, warming comforts of her sitting room, breathing a sigh of relief as she passed through the hearth. The green light that trailed after her soon returned to a crackling fire that had apparently been smoldering for some time. Hermione felt a calming sensation wash over her as she set about removing her gray winter coat and casting it into a closet with her wand.

_Bugger all, what a day._

Hermione paused to rub out the stiff kink in her neck, undoubtedly from all her craning over the endless amounts of paperwork that had flooded her desk. Overturning the old pureblood regulations were proving a nightmare since Hermione took the job six months ago, shortly following the birth of her second daughter. While she was thrilled to have moved onto Magical Law Enforcement, she could do without the stacks upon stacks of paperwork that never seemed to vanish from her desk.

'Join the club,' her husband snarled at her whenever she saw fit to complain, which brought a small smile to Hermione's face. He was certainly correct on _that_ score.

Hermione moaned as the knot in her neck started to loosen, though she knew of a certain dark wizard who could easily set her physical pains to right. Her clever smile spread across her cheeks, until she was quickly distracted by the eerie silence that suddenly became apparent. A quiet house—at least, when it came to _hers_—was most definitely cause for concern, and usually not a good sign.

Hermione made a hurried sweep of the downstairs, moving from the cramped kitchen to the much larger reading room, where most of their free time was spent nowadays, and even the Potions laboratory in the basement, though she didn't have to go but half way down the steps before noticing that no candles were lit. Lastly, she checked the first floor bedroom, also known to her and her husband as their 'sanctuary' away from the rest of the chaos that lived with them, only it was void of occupancy and immersed in darkness.

_Empty._

That could only mean one thing. Grinning to herself, Hermione climbed the stairs, tip toeing soundlessly all the way so as not to disturb the rest of her family. She was unable to detect any noises coming from the second level, but, at the end of a long hallway, a faint light flickered from a cracked bedroom door to the left. Hermione paused before reaching that door, however, and instead quietly entered the first door, which revealed a pale yellow child's room and, at present, an occupied crib.

Hermione stepped closer, squinting in the darkness to make out the peacefully slumbering face of her oldest daughter, Lily, who lay on her back with several thick, chestnut curls brushing against her closed eyelids. She slept with a stuffed bunny loosely clutched to her chest and was out cold, unaware of her mother's thoughtful study of her person.

Hermione reached her hand into the crib and gently brushed the strands of hair away. Lily tossed her head in sleep but otherwise continued to dream, her eyelashes fluttering at whatever happy images danced in her head. Hermione's soft smile extended at the heartwarming picture of her sleeping daughter wrapped in blankets and hugging her favorite stuffed animal. She allowed herself another moment of such sweet indulgence before quietly exiting the room.

As she closed the door, the echo of a deep, rich-sounding voice reached Hermione's ears. She turned her head towards the cracked door frame further down the hall and slowly made her way over, peeking into the bedroom of her second daughter, Surina, that was colored a sea green with white trimming.

Half-expecting to find her unconventionally handsome wizard rocking the resembling little Slytherin lookalike in her rocking chair, or, perhaps, wandering about the room and gently swaying their daughter to lull her to sleep, the sight before her took Hermione entirely by surprise. She held back from making her presence known, choosing to watch the scene with humorous fascination.

Severus Snape, notorious former Headmaster of Hogwarts and Potions Master extraordinaire, dressed in his infamous frock coat and flow of buttons, loomed over an equally dark-haired baby. She cooed softly whilst laying atop a diaper-changing area that was situated next to her crib. Her pale complexion matched Severus's, but the intensity of his scrutiny was a trademark all the wizard's own—one that, Hermione mused, could send grown wizards flying nervously in the opposite direction. The scowl he wore was acute, as was the concentration that knitted his brow.

Their daughter didn't seem to mind the obvious tension in her father's face, however. Her eyes, as black as his, peered up at him brightly—or as illuminated as colorless irises could be—with her chubby arms outstretched to him in love. She wore nothing save for a diaper, and the stench that suddenly assaulted Hermione's nostrils caused her to, at first, cringe and then grin almost giddily with anticipation. She knew now what was about to ensue and was prepared to watch with unapologetic amusement.

"Your mother needs to get home _now_," the wizard muttered to the helpless little being before him, his voice calm, yet firm.

After staring down at Surina for another internally agonizing minute or two, Severus claimed defeat with a burdensome sigh, and his head fell forward. Hermione had to do her best not to snicker and thereby give her position away. She watched the poor man visibly struggle with what he was about to do. A few long hairs swept across his protruding nose, but Hermione could make out that pained grimace clear as day. _This_ particular duty of parenthood was evidently as harrowing for the wizard now as it had been the very first time.

Severus grumbled under his breath as he extracted a bag of baby wipes from inside a drawer and set them beside Surina on the table. The little girl was too preoccupied sucking on her toes to take heed of her father's discomfort, however. Severus arched an eyebrow, mindfully watching the child's endearing antics, though his expression wasn't reminiscent of its usual woo at things their daughters did to make his disposition thaw.

_Can't hold out forever, Severus_, Hermione thought, doing her best not to giggle.

"I'm glad you find this amusing," Severus growled softly. His words sent Hermione into a fright, thinking she'd been discovered, until she realized that the wizard was speaking to Surina and not her.

Working his long fingers over her diaper with care, Severus slowly began to unwrap the messy monstrosity—_as if it were a Horcrux itself!_ Hermione chuckled aloud—when he let out a series of unpleasant gasping and gagging sounds that sent Hermione into a fretful spiral of suppressed laughter. Echos of "_Merlin and Circe_," and "_What the bloody hell is your Mum feeding you?_" soon followed, which only made Hermione laugh harder. It was growing far too difficult to forestall discovery, especially with Surina's giggling and cooing growing ever more excited by her father's rare, highly animated expressions.

"Oh, so you think this is funny, do you?" Severus shrilled, turning his head to hack into the crook of his arm. He swiftly tossed the diaper into a disposable bag, his hands dangling Surina's legs up by her ankles. "You _would_, you smelly, little fiend!"

It took everything Hermione had _not_ to reveal her hiding spot behind the door. She could see Severus perceivably struggling not to reach for his wand. It was one of the everyday things he had prided himself on doing without since day one with Lily, and now with Surina. He would _never_ resort to magic to change a diaper, as he so adamantly put forth to his wife shortly after Lily's birth. He simply wouldn't give in like so many wizards had done before him.

Working as quickly as possible, Severus snatched up a handful of wipes—far more than Hermione knew were necessary to get the job done—and promptly began cleaning Surina's messy backside in haste, frowning as he did so, though the grimace he wore didn't stretch to his eyes. No matter how displeased he may appear, Hermione could decipher that flicker of well concealed emotion within. One of the ways it always managed to surface was when either of their daughters laughed. Their high-spirited tittering could bring out the stern wizard's tender side as Hermione had never imagined.

Even now, as Severus provided his daughter with a fresh diaper, bickering under his breath all the while, the man's warm sentiments were clear. He didn't _really_ mind changing his daughter at all, so long as it provided the gift he'd receive for his efforts: the wonderful sound of music that came in the form of Surina's incessant giggling.

"Still amused, are we?" Hermione heard Severus purr, his frown lifting before her eyes. Her own laughter subsided, allowing an affectionate simper to take its place.

Severus had finally changed Surina into a new diaper and vanished the messy contents of the other with his wand. Surina still had her arms outstretched to her father, pining for Severus's undivided attention, which he granted with ease. He bent over and brought his much larger nose to hers, an unguarded expression of love taking form that only his family could bring out of him. His smile brought out his daughter's as well, who began making heartwarming coos that left the once surly wizard positively smitten.

Severus showered Surina with several loud-smacking kisses to one of her cheeks, nuzzling his nose in the nape of her neck, causing Surina to squeal loudly. Thus, Severus repeated the motions, drawing back to take in Surina's hearty reaction of encouragement.

Her husband's beautifully soft expression—that melting acceptance that befell him when he was surrounded by those he loved—was more than enticing to will Hermione from her hiding place. She stepped inside, smiling broadly for the pair of them.

"Having fun, you two?"

Hermione made her way to their sides, just as Severus was picking Surina up and bundling her against his chest, taking another moment to kiss one of her plump cheeks before offering his wife a similar form of greeting. Hermione weaved an arm around his back and greeted Surina with a kiss of her own.

"Good of you to show up," Severus hissed reprovingly to Hermione, who eyed him over with confusion.

"I got home as soon as I could, Sev—"

"No, I meant for _this_."

Severus patted Surina's diaper, and it was then that Hermione realized he wasn't cross, though another awareness came to her at the same time. "You knew I was watching, didn't you?" she asked, and Severus's half-cocked smirk informed her of his answer.

"I'm afraid your laugh is unmistakable."

"No, it isn't!"

"Are we pouting because we couldn't outwit me again, lioness?"

"_I was being perfectly quiet!_" Hermione huffed, though Severus's alluring smile left her too breathless to be put out.

"Hmm, yes, your_ timing_ is perfect as well."

"Oh, bollocks!"

"Why do you think I waited and waited before finally giving in?"

Hermione paused, detecting the triumph lurking behind her husband's eyes, and narrowed her gaze. "Sneaky Slytherin," she spat softly.

"Gullible Gryffindor."

"Not _this_ time, I wasn't!" Hermione shot him a wry smile and lovingly pinched Surina's cheek. "Daddy did well on his own, didn't he, Surina?"

Severus was about to come back at his wife with a goading retort when Surina's squeaking stopped them both. "Dada!" she exclaimed, happily clapping her hands as she focused on the hooked-nosed wizard holding her. "Dada! Dada!"

Hermione chuckled along with her daughter. "Would you like Dada to change you again next time, sweetie?"

It was Severus's turn to give his teasing wife the glare. "I think I should get a pass on the next round, actually."

His suggestion made Hermione laugh louder and slap his chest. She drew closer, snuggling against his chest along with their daughter. "Oh, very well, if you must." She peered up at him fondly, finding his return regard as intensely affectionate as her own, even if he wanted to be cross. "But you _did_ do very well, love."

"Dada! Dada!" Surina began chiming all over again, reaching out to capture Severus's nose. Her tiny fingers trailed down to his mouth, her being shrieking with delight when Severus pretended to devour her little hands. "Dada! Dada!"

"I don't think you'll be able to weasel your way out of it next time," Hermione found herself snickering, catching the glimmer of apprehension that passed by Severus's face. "I think you've been officially elected to diaper duty."

"I fear you're right, my dear."

Yet, there was nothing at all fearful in the manner with which he gently regarded their child. Hermione didn't need to survey Severus's softened expression to know the truth, for those deeply held sentiments had been discovered long ago.

Sharing a quiet, knowing smile with him, the two strolled out of Surina's bedroom, Severus holding their daughter in one arm whilst his other hand held tightly to Hermione's.

* * *

**A/N #2: I've had this one-shot in my head for _ages_, so it was fun to finally flesh this out. I hope you enjoyed it! **

**Please let me know your thoughts and if you'd be interested in more. Also, feel free to throw prompts into the review box. I'll consider all requests. :)**


	2. A Hopeless First

**A/N: WOW! _Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed and sent in prompts!_ I'm giddy with excitement over the many fantastic ideas for future stories you guys gave me, all of which I intend to write, I promise! :) ****Keep sending in prompts as you think of them, by the way, and I'll gladly add them to the list!**  


**Also, I just want to express my sincerest gratitude for the continued interest that's been shown for the _UL_ series, which is so near and dear to me. It _really_ touches me to know that there are readers out there who would actually like more stories about this family. Because I'm too attached for my own good, and simply can't let them go, expect this family to stick around for quite some time. As long as _you'd_ like more, then I'll happily deliver more! :)**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**A Hopeless First**

_Severus prepares himself for an emotional outing that he's not attending._

_(Prompt from **woodshark** and **bluefirefly5**, who asked for a one-shot about one of the girl's first dates.)_

* * *

Severus sat quietly with his legs outstretched before the fireplace, swiveling a glass of Merlot in hand, watching the light reflect off of the glass. He tried to admire its bitter perfume and acerbic taste when the contents trickled down his throat, but somehow alcohol couldn't take the edge off, nor the tension seeping into his conscience that screamed at him to _protect_ and _safeguard_ and _prevent this damnable engagement from happening under any circumstance!_

And yet, there wasn't much Severus could do this time. He could offer her punishments should she not be home by nine thirty as sternly expressed, but outside of strict curfews, there wasn't much else the wizard could control. He would have to trust her.

_Trust_ him_, more like!_

Severus loathed relinquishing the reigns, especially when it came to _her_, or to any of his children. She was too young, too wholesomely naive to start this _now_.

"That isn't fair, Severus," his wife scolded him, albeit softly, all but two nights prior. "She's old enough for this; or have you forgotten how old I was when we—"

"Yes, yes," he sputtered, feeling most aggrieved; he burrowed his face further into his pillow and stared intensely at the smoldering remains in the hearth a few feet away, though the fire had gone out hours ago.

His wife was linked around his limbs, her arms wrapped tightly about his waist, and a few even breaths against his back eased the emotional ache he reflected on, but only just. One of his hands coiled around hers, safeguarding it closer to his chest.

"He's her best friend, Severus," she suddenly spoke up from behind him, her voice gentle and soothing. "Remember that."

"Even so," Severus growled defensively, pouting into the darkness and grateful no one could see, including her.

"_Even so_," she repeated in a much calmer fashion than he, "we know him well. He's a good boy, Severus. And it's only a first date—"

"_One date too many._"

"You're hopeless," she tittered, a smile pressing into his back. "Let her find out whether he's right for her on her own, love."

"She'll make the wrong choice."

"And how do _you_ know?"

"Because she's too young to make that decision, Hermione; you know it as well as I!"

"You know, our daughter could very well do this without informing us. Keep that in mind, too. She could've kept it from you."

Severus hissed. "She'd never get away with it."

"If it were taking place at Hogwarts, she might!" Hermione retorted, snickering louder. "Even _you_ aren't brilliant enough to know everything that goes on with our daughters there in your absence, love."

"I know what's best for our daughter, that's what!"

There was a short pause that befell that emotional outburst, until Hermione gently loosened her grip around him and brushed his shoulder with a trail of kisses before settling back down against the pillow they shared.

"Oh, Severus..." she whispered, and neither of them said anything else.

Now, as he sat in the reading room alone stewing over the evening of worry that lay ahead, he thought he might be ill. Only two years ago, he'd been fighting for his life, desperate to hold onto his family at all costs. Tonight, his eldest was to be whisked away without his power to supervise or stop her.

Severus guzzled down the remainder of his wine and winced at the sour taste that washed down the back of his throat. The wizard clock on the mantel informed him of the time: ten to seven.

_Still time for another glass._

Severus got to his feet and delicately stretched his legs before wandering over to a writing desk on the opposite side of the room, where a half consumed bottle of Merlot beckoned him. He started to pour himself another round when the door creaked open and there she stood, gawking at him with her arms laced defensively across her chest.

Severus didn't look up; he didn't need to, really, for he already knew well what the Gryffindor was up to—checking on his whereabouts, wanting to ensure that he wasn't about to spoil things or make a fool of them both.

"No more, Severus," she insisted in that vexed tone that warned a husband to tread carefully.

Severus peered up at her, his black eyes fiercely determined. She met his defiance with a stare down that was not as his inferior but as his equal.

"Wouldn't you rather I take the edge off now?" he challenged through a low growl.

"Sly one, you are," she came back at him with a shake of her head.

Suddenly, another person popped her head in from around the corner, leaning against Hermione's shoulder and wearing a naughty smirk that caught Severus's amusement. She eyed him with that Slytherin craftiness he understood all too well, and for which Hermione frowned.

"Will you make him pour ice cubes down his pants?" she sniggered with undisclosed delight; Hermione reared back, her eyes widening in horror.

"Nothing _that_ extreme, Surina," Severus smirked in return.

"Well, you'd better do something, Dad! I want to see James squirm!"

"_Surina!_" Hermione gasped, giving her husband and lookalike daughter offended look overs.

Severus, however, gladly partook in Surina's shared wicked sense of humor. "We shall see, my dear," he purred with a glimmer in his eyes that caused Hermione to lose her cool.

"You will do nothing of the sort!"

Another head unexpectedly popped around next to Surina, leaning in with her ferociously curly hair swaying and her face lit up with anticipation. She resembled a younger Hermione so greatly that Severus had to collect his wits before taking her in: Hailey. She peered over at her dark-haired sister and lookalike mother curiously.

"What are we talking about?"

"How Dad is planning to greet James when he gets here," Surina whispered close to her ear, making the pair of them cackle giddily.

Hermione was the only one of the group who seemed to be taking little pleasure in the discussion at hand, though Severus was too distracted to mind. He was preoccupied with the sight of all three women blocking the doorway, laughing or being reprimanded, though with beautifully animated expressions, nonetheless.

"Your father will be nothing less than cordial, _won't you, love?_"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but the sly, subtle curl of his lips did nothing to aid his wife's position, only aggravate it. Their daughters continued snickering, no doubt goaded by Severus's guileful smile.

"If you say so, my dear," he sassed back.

Before Hermione could open her mouth, Surina chimed in, "And just wait till Scorpius pays us a visit!"

To this, Hailey's smile vanished, replaced by a furious blush she couldn't prevent. She shot her sister a heated glare of her own.

"He's only a _friend_, Surina!"

"Sure he is," Surina chortled and dramatically rolled her eyes, which only made Hailey's ill temper worsen.

"I'm not interested in him like that!"

"I should sincerely hope not," came Severus unfavorable snarl that cut Hailey short. Most of his sour scowl was hidden behind the glass of wine he had brought to his lips, but the simmering gleam in his eyes conveyed the wizard's low opinion quite adamantly.

Surina reacted with whirrs of laughter that accompanied her down the hallway. Hailey quietly followed behind, still wearing a bright blush, and left an apprehensive-appearing Hermione and Severus alone. She waited for some glimmer of reassurance, but all she received in its stead was a tipping of her husband's glass.

"Behave yourself, Severus," she tried to assuage, her exasperation reaching a dire level. "_I mean it._"

"I always do, Hermione."

"You most certainly do _not!_"

Severus's mouth slumped with mocked indignation. "I thought it was one of my few well marked qualities?"

Hermione forced the smirk away that wanted to break her vigorous stance. "Don't flatter yourself." She started to walk away but spun around to stare him down one last time. "Show some Slytherin restraint, if you please."

Severus noted that _that_ statement didn't quite match the fresh spark in her eyes. Once Hermione was out of earshot, Severus mumbled into his glass an affirmative "I'm already showing as much restraint as I can manage," before taking another determined swig of his wine and tossing the rest reluctantly aside, storing its much-needed contents for later, undoubtedly to ease his agitated nerves.

Severus took a moment to straighten his coat and adjust his cravat before billowing out of the room in a sea of black, his pounding footsteps marrying to his not-to-be-trifled with attitude. If this young man wasn't about to take a hint from his body language alone, then the deadly sneer now on display would make the wizard's ill sentiments unmistakably clear.

Severus stalked into the sitting room, where the rest of his family had already congregated around a roaring fireplace. Surina and Hailey sat with their heads huddled together on the couch, whispering excitedly to one another. Hermione stood near the hearth with an arm wrapped around an angst-ridden Lily, who had her head lowered whilst her mother spoke quietly into her ear.

_No doubt words of encouragement_, Severus thought, trying not to gnash his teeth together.

When he grunted to clear his throat, Lily and Hermione peered over at him, each silently expressing to him what his wife had requested earlier. Slowly, he drew his arms behind his back, but as he strolled froward into the center of the room, he was assaulted by a pair of small arms that wrapped themselves eagerly around his waist.

"Daddy!" Jeannie, their littlest by several years, beamed up at him, seemingly unaware of the tension in the room. "James will be here soon!"

"Yes, I know," Severus offered softly. He wove a protective arm around the seven-year-old and tugged her close. "Unfortunately," he added under his breath for no one to hear.

Lily suddenly moved away from Hermione's embrace and rushed over to Severus, a look of panic washing over her young, freshly glowing face. "Dad, please," she begged, keeping her voice hushed. "Please be nice to James! I know you aren't overly fond of him—"

"_That's_ an understatement, if I ever heard one," he snipped, but Hermione shot him a severe look to soften his attitude.

"_Severus!_" she additionally hissed with her hands clamped together.

Severus kept his piercing countenance firm but silently prompted Lily to continue. She reached out and took him by the arm.

"Dad, I know you don't dislike James as much as you pretend to. He's grown up calling you 'uncle.' He looks up to you and admires you greatly—"

"Don't flatter me, Lily," Severus warned, a muscle in his jaw spasming. "That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that's he's still not yet a man, nor you yet a woman, and you're both too young for—"

"It's just a date, for Merlin's sake, Dad!" Lily huffed, her composure waning. "We aren't getting married! And we aren't too young!"

"Oh, yes, you are," Severus returned through a strained, quiet growl, holding back his emotions as best he could. His eyes pinned her in place, but she still caught the underlying feeling underneath, and that eased her frustration into one of calmness.

"Dad, please," she offered with less angst, "we're just going to Diagon Alley to see the Christmas displays. And I know about curfew," she added as respectfully as possible, hoping that might soften him up.

"And you make sure James brings you back here by nine thirty, Lily," Hermione instructed their eldest from across the room. "No later, is that understood?"

Lily nodded accordingly, but Severus continued to stare down at her with a mixture disquiet and dread. Still holding onto Jeannie, he opened his mouth to tell her something else when the hearth abruptly altered to a fluorescent green that brightened the entire room. A young man with messy, dark hair emerged, and the flames returned to their warm, orange glow.

An immediate wave of stress and nerves surfaced on a roguishly handsome James Potter's face, where he stood awkwardly taking in every member of the Snape family, including Uncle Severus, who's self image had somehow darkened in the span of a short month or so since the romantic attachment to the wizard's daughter had become apparent. Uncle Severus may not have taught at Hogwarts anymore, but that didn't mean that the spy in him wasn't privy to whatever his children were up to in his absence, even the Potter children knew that. Ever since arriving home for the Christmas hols, the few encounters he and the intimidating, retired professor had had—such as the Weasley's annual Christmas party—were strained, to put it mildly.

Severus could detect beads of sweat materializing on James's brow the longer he stared at the boy—not that he particularly minded either way if Potter's son was uncomfortable. He was on Severus's turf now, and, as far as_ he_ was concerned, the boy would have to conduct himself respectfully. Even then, it would take more convincing than mere good manners to win Severus over, and he sensed the boy's awareness of that fact.

Despite being looked over with a lack of warmth, James still smiled for his uncle in a manner that wasn't prideful or snide. Lily rushed over to greet him first, wrapping the lad up in a hug that made Severus curl his upper lip. He had seen the children hug each other similarly many times before, _but not like that!_ his mind fought and wrestled. _No, that's an entirely different hug!_

Hermione moved in to greet the boy with familiar amiability, which Severus didn't particularly like at the moment—weren't they supposed to be on the same side?—as did the girls, who stayed where they were but waved and offered heir individual "hellos."

Silently, Jeannie stepped away from Severus but linked her small hand through his and gave it a nudge, as though she were, in her own maturing way, encouraging her father to acknowledge Lily's date for this evening. Lily now had her arm through his and was staring at Severus imploringly again.

"Good evening, sir," James greeted with a polite nod.

He was clearly nervous, though. 'Sir' wasn't a form of address the Potters ever used in speaking to their uncle unless in the classroom setting.

"James," Severus replied matter-of-factly and latched his arms across his chest with his boots molded to the floor.

James went mute, though Severus caught the squeeze of encouragement Lily offered him. Surina and Hailey tried to hold back the pleasure they were getting from it all, and Jeannie hopped onto the couch to take in the awkward spectacle with them.

Hermione quickly spoke up to dispel the discomforted atmosphere. "Where will you two be going tonight?" she asked casually, even though Lily had already informed them beforehand of their plans.

"Probably Obscurus Books," Lily explained, eying James with an encouraging smile, "the Junk Shop for James, and then to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, yes?"

"Um, yeah," James answered, choosing wisely not to say anything else unless spoken to.

"What on earth could you possibly need at the Junk Shop?" Severus demanded, clearly asking James and not his daughter.

"Oh! Erm, I wanted to purchase a funny broken wand for Lily for Christmas," James stammered to explain, speaking of his sister and not the fetching young lady on his arm. "She's always going on about how hers backfires, so I thought...as a play-on joke...I...um..."

Severus's disapproving scowl was more than enough to silence both James and the room. A few muffled snickers could be heard coming from where Lily's siblings sat; she shot them an angry glare before turning back to her father.

"Broken wands can have quite drastically unfortunate consequences," Severus drawled, his grimace unwavering. "Surely, you must know that by now, James."

"Severus," Hermione tried to desist him, suspecting the effort would be futile. He barely looked at her before returning his fixated stare towards an uneasy James.

"I - I know, sir. It was just an idea. I have a couple presents to buy, and Lily here was going to help me..."

Severus's eyes flickered unnaturally. "Is that all?"

Lily's eyes enlarged. "Dad!"

"It's a perfectly legitimate question," Severus returned vehemently, his eyes laden with skepticism. "Christmas shopping and ice cream, is it?"

"Y - Yes, sir, that's it."

"James," Hermione tried to interject more welcomingly, "you may certainly call your Uncle Severus 'uncle' in this setting. There's no need for such formalities."

"On the contrary, I think there is cause for the change."

"Dad, _really!_" Lily begged, to which Severus ignored.

"If you intend to escort my daughter, James, I pray, for _your_ sake, that you're doing so in kind and with the best of intentions."

James swallowed hard. "Uncle Sev—_Sir_, you know me!"

"I'd like to believe I do," Severus concurred softly, his voice reminiscent of a coiling rattle snake ready to strike its prey, "but the dynamics have changed. You should be able to grasp that concept, surely."

"Oh, _honestly_," Lily breathed and bit her lip to keep from griping on; her father's harsh look of warning was enough to stop her.

"I understand, sir," James concluded and averted his eyes.

Severus scanned the eldest Potter boy up and down for a time, almost as though he had never seen him before, and grunted to regain James's attention. With much hesitancy, James peered up into the dark wizard's eyes, aware of how greatly he was being tested in this moment.

The professor had never been particularly warm towards him, nor as inviting as Aunt Hermione usually was, but James had grown up understanding the particulars as to why, or as much as his father was comfortable sharing with him. Despite appearances in the past, however, Uncle Severus had never been quite _this_ frigid before. He knew of the man's fervid regard for his family, and that stepping out with Lily would be as challenging a task as a swim through the Black Lake without fins, but this was proving quite difficult indeed. Still, the man hadn't hexed him yet, and his bits were still in place, so James took a deep breath and tried to take the uneasiness in stride; or as best as he could.

"You will keep an eye out and be mindful of your surroundings, James," Severus ordered him as though they were back in the Potions classroom. "If Lily wants to come home sooner than curfew, you will escort her immediately, and without question. You won't let her go off wandering on her own, nor will you leave her unattended—"

"For Merlin's sake, Dad!" Lily exclaimed, to which her sisters readily giggled, amused. Hermione tried to suppress her own humored laughter, heartened by her husband's intense regard for their daughter's safety and welfare.

"And you will bring my daughter home by nine thirty, and not a minute longer. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Although still nervous, seeing the fierce care his uncle bestowed upon Lily was a sight to take in. After all, it was a strong sentiment the boy found that he shared with the older wizard, and that in itself helped reduce his anxieties.

In that moment, James esteemed his uncle with more respect than he had in some time, and bowed his head in understanding. "Absolutely, sir," he replied as respectfully as possible.

"For your sake," Severus repeated to drive the threat home, "I wouldn't test my patience."

"Oh, I know that, sir, _believe me!_" James found himself grinning.

Severus blinked, unnerved by the lad's upright, albeit cheeky, response. He straightened, ignoring the occasional snickers that echoed to his left. He briefly eyed his wife and found that her warming smile calmed his reservations, if only a little.

"Very well," he droned and stepped back most reluctantly.

James and Lily quickly turned away, each saying their goodbyes to Hermione before he led her back towards the fireplace. Severus swiftly stopped her, however, by lightly grabbing her arm.

"Lily," he called, and she turned around to face him with a somewhat annoyed frown, "be safe and notify your mother or me should you need us." Then, he added more gently, "And have a good time."

Lily's expression brightened, along with her eyes. She wasn't naive to how difficult it was for her father to withdrawal his control and allow her a little freedom.

Smiling brilliantly up at him, Lily leaned forward to press a light kiss to Severus's cheek. When she stepped back, she could see the appeased look in his face, one normally reserved for his family alone.

"Thanks, Dad," she whispered and finally turned away from him.

Hermione strolled over to wrap an arm through Severus's as the pair of them watched their daughter step into the fireplace, which had been properly cast out, so that James could call out their destination. Together, they disappeared.

As soon as the green flames dissolved, Severus sucked in an apprehensive breath whilst Hermione released one of relief. She squeezed his hand and presented him with an upbeat smile.

"Well, that wasn't so terrible, was it?"

Severus's eyebrows rose high on his head. "When he breaks her heart in a month or five, I'll remember you're asking me that," he grumbled in return.

Hermione shook her head and suppressed her laughter as the rest of the family broke out laughing. "_If_, Severus," she smirked at him, hoping he might quit scowling and smile back, even if it was highly unlikely. "At least give the poor chap a chance, would you?"

"I'll give him a chance to prove his worth, but don't expect me to offer more so soon."

Hermione sighed, watching as Severus moved away from her towards the hallway, though his hand lingered in hers for another moment. "Oh, Severus," she acquiesced delicately, "you really _are_ hopeless."

Severus said nothing. His black eyes merely glinted at her, catching the soft glow emitting from the fireplace, and he spun around on his heel and disappeared, strolling out of their sitting room in a slew of rippling, stark robes. Hermione knew where he was headed, and how he would undoubtedly pace back and forth for the next couple hours, his glass of wine in hand, diligently rechecking the wizard clock on the mantel every few minutes until Lily's safe return.

Hermione stared after the spot where he disappeared, a lingering smile of tenderness lining her mouth. _Oh, Severus..._

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**A/N #2: I originally thought this would go in a much more abrasive direction, but my Muse kept going for subtly over show, no matter what I tried. However, I think Severus still got his point across, yes? :) I hope you enjoyed it! **

***cough* See that review box below? *pout* Please? *puppy eyes***_  
_


	3. Her Second Slytherin

**A/N: Thank you again for all your lovely reviews, favs, and follows! I so appreciate them, more than you know. :)  
**

**I'll start reserving any comments about the prompts themselves until the end. I hope you like this one. The ending took an unexpected turn for me, but I think it was the right one. **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Her Second Slytherin**

_Hailey presents a particularly challenging potion for Severus to swallow.  
_

_(Prompt from **gwendlyn**, who asked for Severus's reaction to Hailey dating Scorpius)_

* * *

"Dad?"

A grunt of a reply was all she received for her inquiry, which the girl was doing her utmost best to make as casually as possible. _Good thing he's distracted_, she thought, anxiously holding her breath as she approached her father's desk.

Severus had been held up in his laboratory most of the day and, at present, was hunched over in his chair, his stress-free face buried behind long strands of black hair that didn't at all resemble his daughter's lighter, curly, and altogether unruly mane. She hated her thick, bushy locks; her father adored them, or so he told her often enough. He always attempted to put her mind at ease, at any rate, particularly when it was at its frizziest and most unattractive.

_At least he tries_, she'd snicker to herself, though the girl was secretly appreciative of her father's subtle efforts to make her feel better.

The overheated fumes throughout his laboratory were, for the moment, not doing any favors for said hair. Hailey could feel her curls rising in protest to the sweltering temperatures as soon as she entered. As much as the third Snape enjoyed brewing in such an overheated space with him, she could never understand how he managed to do much of anything in such poor lighting and with trickling sweat nagging and pouring down his forehead like the high temperatures always did to her.

Hailey tried to ignore the stifling heat as she quietly strolled over to his desk, bypassing his work bench that was scatted with ingredients, crumbled notes, half empty jars, and utensils. Normally, her father kept his work area pristine and uncluttered, which told her he must be in the midst of brewing something, gotten frustrated with the results, and proceeded to wreck havoc in his pursuit of a correct combination. She had seen his work ethic too many times with her own eyes, and it could prove comical, worrisome, and mesmerizing to watch all at once.

Severus wasn't brewing at the moment, however. His eyes were squinting and straining to read against the dim candlelight in his lab. Hailey promptly whisked out her wand and brightened the room, though Severus didn't appear to notice. She sensed that he must have, however, given that Severus Snape was notorious for noticing _everything;_ evidently, he didn't mind. He was too engaged in reading an owl that had arrived only a half hour before.

_Potions research_, his daughter determined without need of an explanation, smiling as she watched how completely engrossed he was. _This might work in my favor..._

"What are you working on?"

Severus didn't answer her. His lips silently worded along to the letter grasped in both hands instead. Without any acknowledgement to her question, Hailey sauntered around his desk and leaned over him, not really interested in the contents of the owl he read, more with trying to discretely feel out her father's present mood and state of mind.

Timing was key—she had determined that earlier in the day whilst trying to gear up for this moment—and ensuring that Severus would be in a somewhat pleasant mood for her news was an absolute _must_. The fact that he was otherwise engaged was an added bonus the sixth year hadn't bargained for, and, thus, she intended to make the most of it.

_Go for it, Hailey. Quickly._

"Dad?"

"Hmm?" he returned her address, not looking up.

"What are you working on?" she repeated, roping an arm around his shoulders as Severus continued to mull over the letter.

"Research," he answered matter-of-factly after a moment, his mind frame obviously elsewhere.

Hailey tilted her head. "Is that from Cosworth?"

"Yes."

"For the book?"

"Mmm."

Hailey had been aiding her father in putting together a rather hefty Potions book for the past few years since his retirement and was all too happy to oblige. Though she was only able to help during short periods away from school, her father welcomed and even sought her input, going so far as to promise her credit and write ups for any and all of her contributions to his master work.

"How far along are you?"

"Not far," Severus answered, lost in thought.

Hailey knew that wasn't entirely true, though. Despite appearances, her Slytherin father was highly observant, possessed a keen insight that startled her and her siblings at times, and could be as subdued in his intimidating knowledge as he was sometimes equally direct about all manner of things.

_This could go either way_, Hailey reflected with concern and sucked in a breath, _but he_ has _to know now..._

"I'll still help, you know," Hailey offered, mostly as a form of distracting herself from the tense task at hand. "I'd like to, anyway."

"Of course you can." Severus turned over the owl, his expression unreadable, to glance over the second page of his colleague's notes. "I want you to be a part of it, Hailey."

Hailey smiled at that soft reminder, even if she was growing increasingly nervous by the second. "Well, good! I've been getting some more ideas..."

_Why are you bringing_ this _up now? Focus, Hailey!_

"I look forward to hearing them."

To another teenager, her father's response would have sounded entirely disinterested based on his monotone voice; but Hailey's own intuition, as well as years of experience with the misunderstood wizard, told her that that was hardly the case at all. He cared immensely, even if his expression could be highly understated at times.

Hailey smirked at the top of his head and leaned into him, hoping this contented mood of his wasn't about to drastically head south. It probably would anyway, though. There was no way in hell that _her_ father, of all wizarding parents, was going to take lightly to this news.

"So, what's it about?"

"Hamilton's latest concoction of an improved Mandrake Draught," Severus explained, peering at the elder wizard's lopsided handwriting more thoroughly.

"I take it, it didn't go well?" Hailey mused, fondly remembering the oddball Durmstrang Professor with an amused smile. After all, she and her family would be forever indebted to the man for what he had done for their father only a few years ago. It was thanks to _him_ that Severus was still with them, and Hailey and her sisters wouldn't forget that grave, life-changing moment any time soon.

Unaware of her sober contemplations, Severus replied, "I'm afraid not."

"Too much aconite?"

"No... Scurvy-grass."

"Oh, really?"

Severus was still evidently too distracted to explain. He merely grunted—or growled, more like—and resumed glancing over the befuddling owl before him with a disgruntled shake of his head.

_Now or never, Hailey. Get on with it!_

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"I... I have something to tell you."

Several seconds later, her hesitant-sounding comment was met by another preoccupied, "What?"

Hailey couldn't be sure if that 'what' was the natural asking of what she had to say or if he wanted her to repeat herself. Either way, Hailey prayed for the former.

"You know Scorpius?"

_What a stupid question, Hailey. _Of course_ Dad knows Scorpius!_

Hailey bit her lower lip, something her father often reminded her that her mother was prone to doing, as well as her other siblings, Jeannie being the only exempted party. It would appear that she had good reason to be tense at that moment, for the mention of the boy's name caused the dark wizard to abruptly lower Cosworth's owl. He peered up at his now visibly restless daughter, his intimidating stare holding her in place.

"What about him?" he asked in a low whisper; something in that tone sounded dangerous to Hailey's ears, and she reluctantly pressed on.

"Well... You _do_ like him, don't you, Dad?"

Another silly question, she knew. Evidently, Severus thought so, too, though his hard expression barely altered. He raised a curious eyebrow, however.

"_Like_ him?" he repeated slowly.

"Well...yes. I mean, now that he's grown up a bit and is no longer a prat."

"He _is_ still a prat. He's a Malfoy," Severus drawled through an irritable hiss, as if his contradiction somehow miraculously explained the matter.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean? I thought we were _friends_ with the Malfoys?"

"That may be the case—"

"_May be?_"

"—but make no mistake, Hailey: the Malfoys seek opportunity over friendship whenever it presents itself. Always have and always will. They will use anyone to their advantage, including us."

"Isn't that a Slytherin trait?" Hailey tried to tease, but the result only backfired in her face.

Severus scowled heavily up at her, looking quite put out. "Not all of us are so self-seeking, Hailey."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean it like that."

"Well, the Malfoy's are the most self-serving wizard family you'll find."

Hailey was stumped. Her father had never spoken of the Malfoy's with such a frank candidness and an unapproving manner, with the exception of Lucius, Scorpius's grandfather, who was now appropriately serving his time in Azkaban for crimes committed against her family. She inadvertently shuddered at the thought of the Malfoy patriarch; she didn't like thinking on the horrors of what he'd done to them, more particularly to her father. She cocked her head sideways, still confused about his remarks as they transmitted to the rest of the family.

"So... What are you saying exactly?"

Severus blinked. "That you maintain a cautious distance from Scorpius. I can forgive him his past transgressions against you girls, but I fear he isn't entirely absolved of his offenses."

"By his own accord, or by you?" she challenged, to which Severus narrowed his eyes.

"Both."

Hailey's mouth slumped. "So, in other words, you haven't forgiven him?"

To this, Severus curled his upper lip, which conveyed to Hailey his fierce sentiments before they came out. "I said nothing about forgiveness, Hailey—"

"I believe that's what you just_ implied_, Dad."

"I have my reasons for mistrusting the Malfoys, so don't start," Severus insisted, losing his nerve fast. "Draco is the only exception."

"I see..."

Severus took the silence to eye his daughter over carefully. She suddenly appeared upset for some reason, though the topic of Scorpius Malfoy seemed to have manifested out of nowhere. The spy's shrewd senses told him something was most definitely askew, and, if it revolved around a Malfoy, then the dark wizard didn't appreciate that one bit. He prayed his senses were incorrect on this score.

"What's this all about, Hailey?" he demanded softly, trying for a gentler approach than before.

Hailey began wringing her hands together. She certainly hadn't developed subtlety as one of her many admirable traits, that was certain.

_No_, Severus mused during moments such as these, _she's all Gryffindor. All her mother. Except the eyes...  
_

"Um, I... I thought... Well, that is, I thought you should know..."

"_Yes?_" he emphasized, his heartbeat starting to thump quicker against his chest.

Hailey shifted her eyes to hesitantly meet his and blurted her confession out with less confidence than she'd wished. "We've started dating, Dad. Erm, Scorpius and I."

Severus didn't say anything for an excruciatingly long moment. He stared up at his twitching daughter, his eyes slightly widened in surprise before resuming their normal shape. Hailey was half tempted to reach out and shake him, but her feet seemed to have molded to the floor during the course of her outburst. Now, all she could do was stare back, waiting with baited breath.

Finally, the terrifying Death Eater her father was known to have been at one time took form before her eyes. His nostrils flared, his face scrunched up in a fury, and the decisive glare in those stark, raging eyes made Hailey go stiff.

"_What?_"

His voice wasn't loud at all; it was too low and controlled, and it rang in her ears all the same. His body turned gracefully in his chair and his hand that held onto Cosworth's owl coiled, along with the parchment, into a crumbled ball in his fist.

"You heard me," Hailey stammered in return, too unnerved to say much else.

Then the initial anger wore off. Severus pondered the grueling information before him, his eyes far away and his expression one of undoubted shock and unhappiness. Hailey found her own disappointment waxing. She hadn't expected him to react favorably to the news, but it was still upsetting to find him so visibly agitated by what _she_ considered to be an uplifting and positive revelation. Her mother had warned her of said reaction from her father, even though Hailey already sensed it beforehand; seeing the proof of it, however, didn't help.

Dating a young lad like Scorpius would have normally carried its advantages to another Slytherin parent by mere association with that Hogwarts House. However, even Hailey had to admit that Scorpius wasn't just _any_ Slytherin—he was the boy who, in his youth, made a terrible blunder that cost her family dearly. He was also a Malfoy, which in and of itself didn't boast his chances with her parents. She and Scorpius understood breaking the news would be tough, but it was still proving more than she had bargained for.

Hailey took a calculated breath, too anxious over Severus not staying anything to stay quiet for long. With her arm still looped around his neck, she tugged on him gently to coax him out of his silence.

"Dad? I... I know this is a shock but..."

"No," he interrupted, causing her body to tense next to him, "it isn't."

"Huh? Have you known?" she breathed excitedly, to which the wizard slowly shook his had. The scowl he wore showcased his displeasure clear as day.

"I haven't known for sure, but it's become obvious over the past year or so that you might fancy him. Your sister's been goading it out of you for a while now."

"Oh..." Hailey frowned, briefly thinking on Surina and all her blatant snickering about her and Scorpius over the years. "I suppose that's true."

After a moment of silence, Severus blurted out a pained, "_Why, Hailey?_" which startled her.

Hailey had expected a heated row of some kind that might end badly, or that, perhaps, Severus would lose his cool entirely, get up, and walk away from her. Instead, he remained glued to his chair, peering up at his daughter with eyes that weren't only troubled but distraught.

"I - I don't know, Dad," she confessed softly, finding her father's expression sad. "I just...like him. It just happened."

"But after everything at Malfoy Manor—"

"That was a couple years ago," Hailey couldn't help but huff, her frown deepening. "How long are we all going to hold that against him?"

Severus's irises flashed angrily. "That wasn't just any mistake, Hailey," he growled through clenched teeth, "or have you forgotten what happened?"

"Of course I haven't! And Scorpius wishes he could take it all back—"

"Well, he can't! _He can't take it back!_ Not any of it!"

Silence followed Severus's passionate remarks. He quickly turned away from her and crossed his arms over his chest, as though that gesture would shut down their argument.

Hailey stared at the dark wizard's tightened jaw, his angled eyebrows, and the perceivable hurt that lay behind the eyes themselves. He might have concealed it well enough to an outsider, but not to his own daughter. She knew he was partly in the right to be so aggrieved, and yet, she had been hoping Severus might surprise her in his level of understanding.

_Who are you kidding, Hailey? You remember what happened. What it did to him...to all of you..._

Sighing, Hailey leaned her weight into the scowling wizard staring determinedly ahead and wrapped both arms around his neck. She brought her forehead to his, waiting patiently for him to return her embrace. Slowly, the hard lines on Severus's face dissipated, and a hand came up to clasp warmly onto her arm. His eyes fell shut, a few limp hairs falling forward against his sharp, pained profile.

"I understand why you're upset, Dad," Hailey spoke with a newfound understanding. "I really do. I don't expect you to like him, or embrace him, or what have you. All I ask is that you give him another chance, if not for his sake than for mine. _Please?_ Won't you?"

Severus's eyes reopened, a melancholic expression emerging to replace the anger that Hailey wasn't fully aware of. He sighed heavily, taking a moment for himself before meeting his daughter's imploring countenance.

"Is he good to you?" he asked calmly, biting back his point of view.

Though shocked, Hailey eagerly nodded her head. "Yes, _very!_"

"Is he considerate?"

"Yes, he is!"

"He isn't prideful, arrogant, dismissive of your feelings? Sets your teeth on edge?"

"_Dad!_" she exclaimed, and her demeanor softened into lighthearted giggles. "No, he's changed. A lot! He's a different person. I know you haven't been around him enough to observe it, but it's the truth, I swear it."

Severus snorted. As if his stubborn third daughter would _ever_ be caught dead with a deadbeat git who didn't treat her with the utmost respect.

_And yet, it's Scorpius!_ his mind was reeling; but he did his best to stay cool, for _her_.

"Very well," Severus mumbled, unable to meet Hailey's eyes any longer.

Hailey blinked furiously, her mouth falling open. "_What?_"

Severus gave her a resigned look over, though there was still a hint of reservation decipherable in those colorless eyes, visible only to her. "I'll give him 'another chance,' as you put it. Beyond that, Hailey, I promise nothing."

Hailey rolled her eyes at him, but her spirits had lifted considerably. A pleased smile mapped its ways across her face. She happily kissed Severus on the cheek and drew away from him at last, breaking the father-daughter heart to heart moment.

"I suppose that's progress," she laughed contentedly, no longer bothered or nervous. "_Thank you, Dad._"

Hailey spun on her heel and dashed out of the lab with an extra skip in her step, entirely devoid of her cautious walk-in earlier. She never caught the flicker of protest that washed over her father's face as she left—how he opened his mouth to say something else, how he extended a hand out to his curly-haired daughter to beseech her to stop, or how he undeniably held back what he so longed to tell her, resigned to allow the thoughts to pass. He stored them away and would reserve them for himself alone.

Instead, Severus watched Hailey ascend the stairs and disappear from view. She was evidently thrilled with how the conversation had gone, judging by the bounce in her step, and Severus wasn't going to spoil the moment for her. No, not this time.

Even if a throbbing pain made him press a guarded hand over his heart, willing the terrible hole in his chest to stop aching so much that it swallowed him whole. It wouldn't cease, however. It only worsened once the stifling silence in the room took over in place of her infectious laughter, her warm presence. Severus swallowed hard, marking an acceptance to the harrowing emotional breach in his chest that would now be forever present.

_There goes another piece of my heart._

* * *

**A/N #2: A bittersweet ending to this one****, I'm afraid_._**_  
_


	4. She is Beautiful

**A/N: I know that the list of prompts is becoming quite extensive, but please be rest assured that they'll all get written, even if it takes me some time to get through them all. :) I also have one-shots of my own to throw into the mix, so on we go! **

**As always, feel free to send more prompts in as you think of them! _And please, oh please, keep the feedback coming. I love hearing from you guys! :)_  
**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

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**She is Beautiful**

_Severus and Hermione find a new baby brings fretful trials even before her arrival._

_(Prompt from **RainaMoonforest**, who asked for Severus holding each of his children for the first time. This one-shot is with one of the girls, and the rest of it is an angsty idea from me that I've had in mind for a while.)_

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"Master Snape? Sir? Oi, _Snape!_"

Severus's eyes flickered, his mind emerging from its daze in a darkened corner at the end of a long, rowdy corridor. His eyes slowly came back into focus, soaking in the sight an elderly woman's face that was frowning down at him. Her sky blue eyes were peculiarly bulging, the deeply set wrinkles around her eyes and mouth illustrating an expression of the utmost urgency.

Why was she scowling at him? Furthermore, was she actually_ touching_ him?

Indeed, her hand was grasping his shoulder, having shook him from his state of panic. Severus flinched and reared back, his upper lip arching in severe disapproval. The woman—a Mediwitch whom Severus had had the unfortunate luck of working with before with the births of his two other daughters—quickly removed her hand, understanding that this particular wizard did _not_ appreciate being touched. She couldn't help but wonder how in the bloody hell his own wife managed to touch the man, if _this_ was the type of foul reaction such natural gestures garnered; but then, that wasn't her place.

Suddenly, reality sunk in for the distraught Slytherin and he forgot about the Mediwitch's unwanted meddling into his personal space. Severus's complexion paled and his look of offense morphed into one of high anxiety. The Mediwitch had undoubtedly sought him out to give him the latest news, and he hadn't any time to mentally prepare himself.

Unaware that his hand was still twitching to reach for his wand, as it had earlier, and his long, lean frame was still crouched on the edge of his chair, ready to spring forward like a wildcat, Severus peered up at the Mediwitch with freshly imploring eyes.

"We've stabilized her," the Mediwitch said calmly, though her register did nothing to ease Severus's angst-ridden nerves. "We wanted her to rest a while before letting you back in," she continued, and for which Severus growled threateningly, "but your child has arrived, and she's asking for you."

_Of course she's asking for me, you wench!_ he wanted to shout and refrained by clamping his jaw shut. _You threw me out in the midst of every—_

"My child's here?"

Those two pieces of news were all it took for the dark wizard to leap out of his chair, reversing the role between authority and compliance. He towered over the aged Mediwitch by at least two feet and stared her down. Between his black robes, equally stark hair and abrasive glare, he cut an easily intimidating sight.

"Take me to my wife and child," he commanded in a soft purr that wasn't at all gentle in its address. "_Now._"

The Mediwitch stood her ground, but her voice slightly quivered as she explained, "We needed more room to work was all, Master Snape. It was too cramped with you in there too—"

"_I don't care!_" Severus snarled, his voice steadily rising. "I've already missed her birth. Take me to them."

"I know you're upset and have every right to be, Master Snape, but there's no need now for—"

"Ma'am, are we going to continue standing here in the middle of the hallway, or are you going to let me see them as my wife's requesting?"

Severus couldn't have appeared more visibly agitated if steam were shooting out of his ears. What on earth was keeping the woman? Hermione was asking for him, and he had been forced—nay, _pushed_—out of her room earlier against both husband's and wife's wishes. There was no reason to keep him from her if she was requesting his presence. There was no reason to keep them separated in the first place.

She _needed_ him—her and the child; or was it the opposite?

"Very well," the Mediwitch hurriedly concluded, not wishing to argue or make the wizard more cross.

She led Severus down the bustling corridor of the Children's Ward, where he had been pacing close to the Healers' station for nearly an hour, his presence unnerving most of the staff, who did their best to simply stay out of the man's way lest he hex them for offering a Calming Draught or a handful of sweets.

"She must rest, Master Snape. She cannot be kept—"

"I understand," he growled irritably. "I just want to see my wife and child."

The Mediwitch nodded and opened the door to Hermione's hospital room, where the lighting had been lowered and the shades in front of a large window had been drawn shut, casting the room into a darkened tranquility. Severus immediately detected a calming spell in place as well, for it hit his senses and seeped into his skin, sending a comforting shiver down his spine, much like a wave lapping onto the shore to graze the sand.

Then, he saw her. Hermione was lying flat on her back with her head turned towards him. He noted the disturbingly dark circles underneath her eyes—she hadn't slept in near twenty-four hours—as well as how generally unwell she appeared. In fact, he'd never seen her quite like _this_, and the result caused his heart to unexpectedly catch in his throat. His usually tight mask of indifference fell to the wayside, replaced by a genuine expression of dread and fear.

_My Hermione._

He froze, stranded momentarily in the doorway, until Hermione beckoned him with a weak extension of her arm, which half outstretched itself to him before collapsing onto the bed. That gesture was all it took to will his legs into action. In two or three strides, Severus crossed the room, his robes billowing behind him in a hurry, and he snatched up the witch's clammy hand, safeguarding it warmly in his own.

"It's all right, Severus," she wasted no time in trying to reassure him, which the wizard secretly appreciated, far more than she probably knew.

Severus bent over the bed to press a gentle kiss to Hermione's forehead, ignoring a different Mediwitch in the room who was placing their new sleeping baby into a cot after allowing mother and daughter a moment to bond. The elder Mediwitch who had escorted Severus into the room quietly left, and her colleague soon followed, the pair of them hardly making a sound; but Severus wouldn't have paid them any mind anyway.

"You sure you're all right?" he urged softly, bringing her hand to his lips to affectionately kiss the inside of her wrist. "How do you feel?"

Hermione smiled feebly for him and her hand slipped out of his to stroke one side of his face. "I'm fine, love. _Really._ I'm fine now."

"You don't look fine," he insisted, issuing more intense feeling than he'd meant to. He knew he should keep her calm, not rile her up. Why did he always have to do what he shouldn't do—to her?

"I am," she insisted, her hand falling back into his. "I'm a little tired..."

"Of course you are."

Severus kissed her brow again and then brought his forehead to hers. Hermione tried to nuzzle his nose, though it seemed to take a great deal of effort just to strain her neck.

"I wanted to see you first," she half whispered, half moaned; her eyes quickly fell shut as her words slurred.

"I understand."

"Severus?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"The baby..."

Severus smiled in a fashion reserved only for her, even if she was too spent to see it. "She'll be fine, my dear. Rest while you can. She'll need to be nursed soon."

"You should see her, Severus... She's so beautiful..." Hermione's dreamy smile stretched, emitting a glow onto her poised face. "She looks like me..."

"I'm sure she does," Severus replied, and his reassurance was enough to entice Hermione to quiet down.

Less than a minute later, Hermione's head rolled sideways and she slept deeply, snoring loud enough that, had the circumstances been any different, Severus would have smirked and stored some comical reference about it away for later. But there was nothing humorous about what led to_ this_ sleep. Not for her, nor him.

_She deserves to rest_, he concluded, letting out the breath he wasn't even aware he'd been holding all day.

There was no way in hell he'd be able to catch a few hours of sleep himself after such a stress-filled day. Having a baby was a naturally anxious experience for any father-to-be, even with two previous trials the wizard could boast in his favor. However, this labor had been drastically suspenseful compared to the others, taking both mother and father alarmingly by surprise.

Severus took a seat in an uncomfortable, rickety chair and scooted closer to his wife, watching her attentively as she slept, so far gone that she never heard him shuffling about and trying to put his mind at ease.

Severus recalled the day with perfect clarity. Hermione had woken up that morning with labor-intensive pains. Severus had insisted that they leave for St. Mungo's straightaway whilst Hermione didn't feel she was at the point yet where it was necessary. Severus proceeded to watch her like a hawk, stalking her about the house and demanding that she sit or recline whenever possible. Every wince or hiss of pain made him startle to the quick, and Hermione's suffering quickly turned into highly amused laughter on her part as she watched her husband's frantic, yet endearing, antics.

"Relax, Severus," she'd giggle at him repeatedly. "We've been through this twice already!"

Severus only became more put out as the hours wore on, however. "Hermione, I_ really_ think we should head to hospital now. Your labor pains are closer together than they were before."

"Not just yet, love. Oh!"

Hermione cringed but tried to carefully rise from the sofa chair in their sitting room. Ginny had just left the house via Floo with Lily and Surina in tow, who jabbered on excitedly about getting to meet their little sister in the hours to come.

Suddenly, the panicking wizard was by his wife's side and hoisting her to her feet, his hand clasped in hers. It was time. It _had_ to be by now. She smiled up at him in that warmhearted manner that always struck him so, even in intense moments like these. She tried to reassure him quietly that she was fine.

"I completely forgot about the girls' laundry."

"You're going to do that _now?_" Severus exclaimed, beyond exasperated at this point.

"Yes! Might as well while I can. Merlin knows, with our newest addition, I won't be able to once we get back."

"I'll do it," Severus grumbled and trailed after her, listening to her fluttering laughter all the way down the hallway.

"You're hopeless. Go sit down. I'll only be but a minute."

"Fat chance," he retorted and proceeded to follow a very pregnant Hermione up the stairs.

As Hermione began her ascent, however, she abruptly collapsed against the wall and let out a yelp of pain that was unlike any of the previous Severus had heard. He grabbed her around the arms to prevent her from falling, and she ended up leaning—and trembling—against him instead.

"I'm taking you now!" he ordered against her ear, his command stern and, at the same time, fretful.

"Yes," Hermione gasped, hardly able to get her words out, "that's...probably...a good idea. _OH!_"

By the time they reached the Welcoming Witch's station—a "grumpy, old hag," as Severus affectionately referred to her, seeing as he'd never gotten on with the nasty witch in all the years he'd paid St. Mungo's such unwanted visits—Hermione was doubled-over in pain and hardly able to breathe, let alone talk. Severus kept a protective arm roped around her whilst trying to lead her forward by the hand. She was practically cutting off his circulation from grasping so tightly, but Severus was too distracted by the suffering woman in his grasp to worry about a bruised hand. Something this time around was different from the others. His daughters' previous births had naturally been painful...

_But not like this_, he considered with a concerned frown.

As Severus and another Mediwitch tried to help Hermione lie down onto a levitating gurney, what happened next made the usually prepared wizard go white as a sheet. He halted in place, his hand still in Hermione's as his enlarged, black eyes drew down to her feet.

Unfortunately, Hermione caught sight of her husband's visibly disturbed expression before the pains started again. A look like _that_ coming from a wizard who was never fearful—at least, not publicly so—rang in Hermione's brain that something was most definitely wrong. She, too, traced Severus's eyesight to the floor, where her throat toppled into her stomach.

Why were her feet covered in blood with a trail that ran down from her sex?

_Blood. No... The baby!_

Hermione's panicked eyes met Severus's and then proceeded to roll back in her head. The next thing she remembered, as would be discussed in times to come, was waking up to the worst back pain she'd ever experienced in her life, so agonizing that she shook from head to toe. _This natural birth shite is for the birds!_ she fleeting thought before the inclination to sit up and push swiftly took over.

Unlike Hermione, however, Severus could reflect on every single horrifying moment that followed his wife's fainting spell. Hermione was quickly whizzed down a cramped corridor to an even tighter room, where several Mediwitches surrounded the bed, all trying to push the former spy out of the way. Severus snarled and fought his way back to Hermione's side, glancing over her unresponsive face in a frenzy. He touched her cheek, the hand formally squeezing his that now hung limp, her swollen stomach and the life inside it that was in as much distress as the mother, and his mind retreated into survival mode so fast and furiously that the next hour went by in a whirlpool.

Bustling green robes, healing spells, birth aiding incantations, and a host of faces came and went, but Severus didn't really process any of it. He knew it was happening, of course, but all he could process, for the most part, was that his loving wife and unborn child were in danger. The petrifying sight of lost blood that was gathering around the white sheets near Hermione's quim, which a Mediwitch routinely tried to dispel before Severus could see it, didn't do his rattled nerves any favors. That new Mediwitch-in-training, undoubtedly fresh out of Hogwarts, wasn't quick enough for_ his_ reflexes.

Once Hermione re-awoke and began pushing, Severus's senses kicked back into high gear and he wrapped an arm protectively around her, encouraging her not to move. "They've administered birthing spells, Hermione," he tried to speak soothingly, though his wife was looking about the room, distracted. "There's no need to push. It's almost over."

"No! The baby!" she started tearing up, her lower lip quivering when she met his face. "Our baby, Severus! What's wrong—"

"Her heartbeat's accelerated, love, but she's all right. Don't worry. Please, just lie down."

"No! We can't—"

"_You_ can't get yourself excited, Hermione!"

"_But the blood!_"

Severus's jaw clenched. "That's over."

He wished now that he hadn't said it. He shouldn't have. _What the bloody hell were you thinking, Severus?_ He had damned her by saying it. Yes, that was it! Even though he was sure, had Hermione been conscious, she'd have told him he was being an "absurd, fool-hearted git."

_Damn you, Severus!_ he cursed himself as he sat in silence watching Hermione peacefully doze now.

Hermione had begun seizing following his attempt at reassuring her, and, before Severus was fully aware of what was happening, he was pulled away from her and whisked out of her hospital room so fast he'd hardly had time to blink. There, he was told to remain until the Mediwitches could stabilize mother and baby.

As Severus sat in silence, soaking in the reality that his wife was in the clear and all right, he remembered in horror watching Hermione shake violently in his arms. There were several delirious commands from those around him to "step back," but Severus hadn't been listening, too distraught at the helpless sight of Hermione to care. Her eyes were rolled back in her head again, her mouth was slightly hanging open, and her tremors were unlike anything he'd seen since...

_The Cruciatus Curse_, he reflected with a shudder.

Suddenly, she was out of his reach and separated by glass and a magically enhanced door to bar him from reentering. _This isn't happening_, his mind tried to rationalize. Yes, Severus Snape was accustomed to fear. His daily life as a spy had long made him immune to fear and the unknown, even towards death itself; but not today.

Severus felt his defenses crushing as he sat in that old chair, watching Hermione sleep. He reached out a wobbly hand to touch her arm, inching closer until his knees gave out against gravity and collapsed onto the solid floor. He inhaled several slow, deep breaths to calm the stifled emotions that threatened to engulf him.

_You could've lost her. You could've lost her._

"Fuck!" he stammered, his voice catching at the back of his throat. He could feel the trembles coming on, and then it would be over. If he allowed himself to shake, then the rest of his resolve would crumble like sand.

His unsteady breathing was interrupted by a soft whimper from across the room. His ears perked up and he silently gathered himself enough to rise to his feet, though his legs were weak when he went to progress over to the new child's cot. He shook his hands to will the quivers away and peered down at the small being that cooed and squirmed and was wrapped in a dozen blankets.

And the wizard's pounding heart, as stressed as it had been working for hours, melted into a peaceful rhythm at the awe-inspiring sight of his new daughter. She possessed a full set of short, chestnut curls—bushy and wild already. The result caused Severus to crack a smile at long last.

Severus leaned his hand inside her cot to brush a long finger underneath her chin. The baby cooed happily at his tease-like stroking. Severus frowned at the sudden realization that he had been forced, not of his own choosing, to miss his third child coming into the world.

_But then, the circumstances were extreme, Severus, remember that._

Severus swallowed the ache forming in his chest and, soon, his pain swelled into overwhelming joy at the delightful, small being before him. Weaving his arms delicately around her, Severus brought the baby into his arms and stared down at her, mesmerized by her tiny fingers, button nose, and round mouth as she yawned and stretched her arms. Once safely tucked into Severus's fold, she quieted down, leaving the once formidable wizard to stare after her in wonder.

Severus tore his eyes away from the baby momentarily to gaze at his dozing wife. "You're right, my dear," he said in an emotional whisper, "she looks just like you.

"You win this round, Hermione." Gazing back down at his daughter, his smile extended as he craned his neck to kiss her forehead. "Hello, Hailey," he purred fondly to the little girl. "I'm your father."

* * *

"Severus?"

Severus's eyelashes fluttered to take in a contented Hermione and sleeping Hailey seated next to him on her hospital bed. He smiled softly at her.

"Yes?"

Silently, Hermione wove an arm around him and rubbed his back with her free hand. "I'm so sorry for frightening you," she offered in a frank tone that left him speechless for a moment.

Severus quickly averted his eyes towards Hailey, who presently had her hand wrapped around his index finger as she slept. His mask of non-emotion tightened, especially once Hermione drew nearer to lovingly kiss his cheek.

"Please don't do that again," he muttered under his breath, trying to disguise the raw emotions clawing at his insides.

Hermione broke out into light giggles, wishing to ease the stress lines written all over her husband's face. "I'll try not to."

After a short pause, Severus spoke up again, this time in his usually smooth purr. "You were right, you know." At Hermione's raised eyebrows, the strain in his features dispelled. "She _is_ beautiful, my dear. She looks like you."

* * *

**A/N #2: The next one-shot will _not_ be angsty, I promise! It really hit me out of nowhere, even if the idea itself hadn't. My apologies to RainaMoonforest for giving you such an angsty one-shot! I swear to keep the next one light!  
**

**(This storyline was hinted at in the Epilogue to the _Prequel_, by the way. Did anyone notice? Ten points to your House if you did! ;))**


	5. Good Morning

**A/N: I'm sorry that it's been a while. I've been stuck in a rut and my Muse Disapparated on me. I think he's slowly coming around though, so hopefully I'll be able to start filling more prompt requests. **

**_As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated!_**

**Warning: This one-shot is rated M for sexual content. **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Good Morning**

_Hermione gives Severus a wake up the groggy and grumpy wizard can't object. _

_(My own prompt, but I dedicate this piece to Hannah, who has been requesting that I write something smutty for some time. I hope this will do, love.)_

* * *

Hermione awoke earlier than was considered her normal routine. _Friday?_ her foggy mind tried to think, before letting out a groan of despair at the realization of the day. _Bugger. Wednesday._

Feeling the lump of a warm body next to her, Hermione slowly rolled over in bed and pried open an eye. The wonderful sight before her gave her pause, and a soft smile drew across her face, half-hidden by the shadows within the room.

_Out cold._

She was naturally referring to a deeply slumbering Severus, whose head was burrowed into his pillow, most of his destressed face obstructed by straggly, dark hair that fell against his closed eyelids, or the top of the many blankets they were bundled into, snug and encased. One of his wiry arms was draped across her hip, keeping her within reach. Even in sleep, he was somewhat possessive, which Hermione secretly adored. His body didn't so much as flinch when she scooted closer to him, inching a leg between his as he continued to doze uninterrupted.

It was a rarity that either of them drifted away from each other during the night. Rather, their limbs were usually entangled with one another's when they came to. If the one strayed too far, they awoke instantly and made to remedy the situation.

Moments ago, Hermione had felt far too cold and drew out of rest. She quickly brushed herself up against the body heat of her husband's, sliding a hand around his midsection to hug him close. She knew the easily startled wizard was immune to her touch or else he'd have awoken the moment she shifted near him.

Nowadays, Severus Snape slept relatively peacefully and much better than he ever had before Hermione came along. Rest and recouping were still daily struggles, but not on the worrisome level they had once been, nor when she and the former spy first got together. Hermione found herself often reflecting upon how far Severus had come on mornings such as these, when she woke before he did and had the luxury of watching her wizard dozing. A few times he'd caught her in the act, but mostly he remained asleep, unknowingly indulging his wife in the process.

Hermione rubbed the tip of her nose against his, unable to see his eyes behind the many black tresses that hung in his face. Her attempt at coaxing him awake garnered no reaction. Severus's unshakable, heavy snores told the swotty Gryffindor that it would take a great deal more to cause the wizard to stir.

Hermione quickly gave up and snuggled into his chest, issuing a contented sigh. She had at least an hour yet before needing to start her day, and the children would likely be up within the hour.

_Enjoy these quiet moments while they last, Hermione_, she thoughtfully contemplated, smiling against her husband's pallid skin and stroking her fingers along a few of his deeply embedded scars.

Willingly, Hermione closed her eyes and listened to the steady rumbling of Severus's heavy breathing, as well as the thrumming of his heart against her ear. Both eased her to sleep nightly, so she focused on those noises that unconsciously soothed her as her husband slumbered.

Instead of falling back asleep, however, Hermione's mind wandered to the wizard in her arms and who embraced her in return, even in sleep. Inadvertently, she squeezed Severus tighter around the waist. Thinking on where they were now versus only a few years ago, when Severus's future—_their_ future—looked so dark and bleak, with him headed off to Azkaban and she forced to pick up the pieces of her life on her own, Hermione couldn't help but fasten her grip around her husband tighter.

The children were naturally naïve to any details of what their father had endured, first at the hands of Nagini and the Dark Lord, and, subsequently, what befell him thereafter. What he continued to fight off they wouldn't disclose for as long as it could be helped, both she and Severus having acknowledged the very real possibility that they may not be able to keep his health secret from their daughters forever.

_Don't think on this, Hermione_, she quickly told herself. _It's five in the morning. Go back to sleep._

Thus, Hermione focused intently on Severus's unshakable snoring once more, hoping her mind would quiet enough that she might catch another forty-five minutes or so of peace. Evidently, that wasn't to be, for her mind continued to mull over certain issues looming around the undisturbed, snoozing wizard in her fold, whose limbs were completey ensnared with hers.

After another half-hour of lying comfortably with Severus, who never stirred all the while, Hermione succumbed to the busy day that lay ahead and reluctantly tore herself from his side. The bed was divinely thermal and secure, so much so that Hermione hissed when she threw back the covers to stand in her bare feet.

Shivering in her form-fitting nightgown, Hermione tiptoed to the loo to hop in the shower, allowing the steaming water to lap over her skin and rinse her free of her cares and woes. She'd have to be quick about it, however. There was no telling when the girls would be up—_Probably any minute! _her mind reminded her—and Severus would undoubtedly be incoherent for another hour or two.

Hermione smirked at that humorous reality and lathered her skin with a lavender-scented body wash she knew the Slytherin loved. She scrubbed in haste, suspecting she might hear their children through the floor as soon as she turned off the water, bouncing about and creating their usual morning ruckus upstairs. Luckily for her, there were no such noises that followed her hurried shower.

Hermione emerged feeling utterly refreshed, though the hot water did nothing to awaken her. If anything, she felt as drowsy as before and had to force herself to muster some much-needed energy to push on, starting with dressing for the day.

As she opened the bathroom door, the fierce chill in the room made Hermione shudder. She extracted her wand from the nightstand on her side of the bed and quietly cast a roaring fire charm into the hearth on the opposite end of the room, closest to Severus, who still lay deep in the throes of a dream land, snoring relentlessly to anyone within earshot.

Hermione smiled, amused and endeared by her husband's sleeping form. He slept in a fetal position, with his body entombed by their many comfy blankets. If today could have gone _her_ way, Hermione would have much preferred to crawl back under the sheets with her sleepy wizard, and cuddle for a few more blissful hours.

_Then again..._

A bold smile emerged on Hermione's face, the flicker of an idea passing by her eyes at the same time. Still dressed in nothing but a bath towel, and with her damp curls pulled back into a hair clip, Hermione silently crept into bed beside Severus, pausing to admire his unguarded form. He didn't wake, even as Hermione's hand glided around his back. She buried her face between his neck and shoulder, leaving several tender kisses along the contours of both before moving on to his exposed midsection, following the natural curve of his lithe body.

As she delicately pecked at Severus's skin, making soft suctioning sounds along the way, the covers slid further and further away from his relaxed face, exposing the wizard to the morning's chill. The roaring fire at his back, however, quickly evaporated most of the coldness from the room, and, thus, Severus remained asleep whilst his wife left a trail of kisses that ran from his shoulder down his left arm to his ribcage.

At the feel of such gentle lips caressing his bare skin, Severus issued a low, yearn-filled moan into the darkness that left Hermione momentarily paralyzed. She gazed considerately at her husband, who mumbled something incoherent into his pillow and kept on snoring.

With a wry grin, Hermione continued her thoughtful ministration and kissed her way along his side, her hand grazing down his back as she moved lower and lower, pausing once she reached the top of his briefs. Severus's left leg was bent, whilst his right leg lay straight against the sheets. Hermione tugged ever so slightly at the undesired garment, unsure if removing them would wake him up; but Severus's lax form didn't so much as twist or move at her light prodding, so the aroused witch slid her opposite hand around to his front, which was pressed against the sheets, and cupped the underside of his genitals in her hand, rubbing gently up and down to coax him to roll over.

Severus moaned again, the sound almost like a wishful growl, which was all the encouragement Hermione needed to risk slipping off his briefs. She did so as discretely as possible, however, leaving his buttocks and what little she could see of the underside of his balls exposed.

Hermione was sure Severus would have enjoyed the devilish smirk on her face at that moment, as she took unconcealed pleasure in staring unreservedly at her dormant, fully naked wizard on the bed—so beautifully reposed and unconscious, even as she showered him with lust-filled attention.

Hermione quietly began kissing him again, roving her lips up his left outer thigh, bent and limp on the bed, to his derriere. Prying the wizard's legs apart as unforcefully as possible so as not wake him, though how he remained asleep was, to Hermione, a true miracle, she placed her warm hand snug between Severus's thighs to teasingly brush the underside of his sack. It didn't take long for her stroking to bring about an intense, unintelligible noise—or groan—from her husband, whose lower half began rubbing against the sheets, his eyes still shut but his face contorted. All the while, Hermione's mouth mindfully roamed its way over Severus's backside to what little of his stomach she could reach.

The aching moans and sighs of titillation Severus made were enticing, even with most of his face burrowed into his pillow and obstructed from view. No longer minding whether he woke or not, Hermione leaned over him and wedged a hand in between Severus and the sheets, gliding her fingers down over his pubic hair until she reached his snug erection that was pressed against the bed.

Hermione's smile extended at the feel of the wizard in her hand. "Well, good morning," she purred into the darkness.

Hermione prompted Severus's left leg backward by pushing gently on his inner thigh. Severus groaned at her efforts but silently consented, too spent to care. He rolled onto his back with a weighty sigh, giving Hermione a complete view of his now fully engorged shaft.

Hermione bent over and grinned against his skin, kissing her way down his warm inner thigh. He buckled slightly against her hands that pressed down on his thighs to keep him still. Once her heated lips met the base of his length, teasing him with her heavy breathing and light sucking, Severus let out a much louder moan than all the others before them.

Hermione paused to peer up at Severus's freshly twisted face. His eyes were shut and squeezed tightly when she began licking and kissing her way from base to tip. When her mouth wrapped itself around his apex, Severus's head tossed sideways and his thighs clenched, his voice releasing a hiss of such utter arousal that his eyes shot open.

"Good morning, Professor," Hermione hummed against his length, her eyes boring into his as she affectionately kissed his tip several times.

Severus didn't answer. By now, he was reacting sensitively to her touch—every peck and suck of her warm, wet mouth on him—sparking every nerve ending the sharp wizard could make sense of. His head fell back onto his pillow and his eyes rolled backward, urging Hermione onward, as though his low, animal-like noises weren't enough conviction that the witch was headed in the right direction.

Hermione took Severus into her mouth and began to slide down the length of him slowly. As she glided up and down in a steady rhythm, she reached a hand underneath his balls to tug and massage at the same time. Severus's chest heaved excitedly at her wonderful kneading.

Keeping her opposite hand on his right thigh, Hermione willfully watched the loss of control on Severus's usually stress-ridden face take hold, his skin breaking out in a sweat as the throes of ecstasy dispelled his discipline. Hermione found the transition an endlessly fascinating sight, even after many years of marriage and observant stimulation. Watching her husband, a man who was always in such tight, unwavering control with every part of his body, losing his mind to her methods aroused Hermione in indescribable ways. She could feel herself thawing from the inside out as she brought her wizard closer and closer to his peak.

Never letting up on her attentive mouth and hand ministrations, Hermione remained adamant about watching Severus fall apart and vacate control. His length was growing against her throat, telling her that he was going to come soon, fast and furiously. He baited her through breathless sighs and moans of drowsy, dreamlike titillation, uttering her name either in a catlike purr or, as she quickened her pace, with intensified growls that rumbled from the back of his throat.

Hermione bedeviled him in return, pausing every so often to goad that he come for her or else she'd stop. Severus's hands clamped down on, first, her head before securing themselves onto the sides of his pillow, balling the material between his fingers. His breathing accelerated and, soon, his whole body was trembling. His thighs withered and squirmed against the hand that tried to hold him down, the sensations pulsating through his manhood too overwhelming to withstand.

Sensing his pending orgasm about to explode—his tip was already leaking excess fluid down her throat—Hermione drew down his length one last time. When her lips made contact with his base, Severus finally blew apart. A fierce cry tore from his throat, his spine arched off of the bed, and his thighs thrust forward against her face as he came violently in her mouth. Hermione tasted the musky scent of his release trickle down her throat and withdrew his weeping cock from her mouth once the quivers of his climax ceased.

Severus continued to breathe strenuously for a time, his eyes closed and his mouth slack. Hermione could make out the perspiration all over his pale complexion by the soft light that emitted from the fireplace. Thoughtfully, she traced her fingers over the contours of his stomach, waiting for her wizard to recoup.

Slowly, his weary eyes opened halfway to take in his wife—her tight, wet curls that were pulled away from her face, though a few fell effortlessly forward, her attractive bare shoulders, and her somewhat puffy lips that had lovingly mapped their way across most of his body before bringing him to a mind-blowing orgasm.

"Meddlesome witch," he rasped, the alluring twist of a smile at the edges of his mouth. "You couldn't let me sleep a little while longer, could you?"

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining all but one minute ago, you smug git," Hermione matched his snarkiness through contented giggles.

Severus lazily snatched the gentle hand that was drawing lines along his stomach but was seemingly too put out to drag her up to meet him. The look in his eyes was clear, however, and, with little encouragement required, Hermione crawled over top of her husband and rested her chin on his chest, smirking triumphantly in a most un-Gryffindor-like manner that made him snort.

Severus fumbled for the blankets and covered them both. He loosely wrapped his arms around the smallness of Hermione's back and held her close, enjoying her warm body heat against his.

"May I ask what prompted _that?_" he asked groggily, quite content to fall back asleep.

"You may," Hermione tittered and reached out a hand to lovingly stroke his brow, weaving her fingers along his soft skin and into his hair. "I thought I'd give you a proper send off this morning, seeing as you'll be home with the girls today."

Severus's eyelids fluttered at her touch for a time and then slipped shut entirely. "Mmm," he muttered, settling into the pillow that cradled his head and feeling appropriately snug and drowsy. "You think of everything, don't you?"

"I try." Hermione smiled fondly at him. "And you were also far too enticing to leave alone, laying here beneath the sheets without me. I simply _had_ to intervene for your own good."

"Oh, did you?"

"Absolutely. It was unavoidable."

Severus casually leaned into her touch. "Such an impertinent creature, you are," he murmured so quietly that his voice trailed off, causing the smile on Hermione's face to broaden.

"You think you can survive on your own today?"

"Unless the sky falls," Severus replied, thoroughly enjoying his wife's tender stroking, "we'll survive."

"Any plans?"

"I'll let the girls decide."

Hermione leaned in to affectionately kiss his cheek and nuzzle her face with his. His arms weaved tighter around her, bringing Hermione into a cozy embrace that would prove trying to weasel out of. Hermione couldn't prevent her groan of disgruntlement that soon followed.

"I really _do_ have to get a move on."

Severus's arms unconsciously compressed her further into his chest. "No," he grumbled possessively, sending the witch into shrills of light laughter, "just a couple more minutes..."

Hermione whispered closed to his ear, "Are you ready for a repeat?"

Severus's tired eyes reopened at _that_ suggestion, the eager look they bore highly amusing. "If you insist, busybody," he deadpanned, to which Hermione smacked his chest and stared him down, though there was nothing at all reprimanding about her glare.

The feel of calloused, long fingers brushing up and down her back made Hermione's spine tingle. Severus had untied her bath towel, which now hung limp on top of him, his hands paying mindful attention to the curve of her back. Hermione's breath caught in her throat, her sex reacting to the smoldering expression brewing in Severus's gripping, dark eyes. He craned his neck to bring her lips to his, kissing with all the tenderness and deeply held affections the two had long shared.

Hermione found her limbs melting into his as he delicately nipped and sucked on her lower lip. She pushed back with more force, relishing in the moment and not wanting it to end. _Merlin, why can't it be Friday?_ her mind moped, though she was quickly distracted by their passionate kissing session.

Smiling against his mouth, a greedy hand of hers trailed down Severus's torso to his small happy trail. Her fingers weaved their way to his rising shaft, pleased and wanting to spur things along. As she made to recapture his mouth, however, loud thumping and squeals from upstairs abruptly ended their morning romp.

Severus's head fell back to the pillow with a frustrated groan, and Hermione snickered close to his face. "I suppose we'll have to pick up where we left off later," she suggested, giving him another one of her un-Gryffindor-like grins.

"Tease," he growled, his hands coming to rest on her buttocks.

"Hey, I don't control our children's internal alarm clocks."

"You should."

"No pouting," Hermione giggled, to which Severus's scowl relaxed.

"I am not."

"Are too!"

Hermione chuckled again before climbing off of her husband and sitting upright, hastily rewrapping herself in her towel. Severus stretched beneath the covers and closed his eyes, the lines beneath them more prominent than before—all the stress from late-night brewing resurfacing with the morning light.

"I'll get up in a moment," he mumbled sleepily.

Shaking her head at him, Hermione brought the blankets back up to cover most of his face and bent down to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. "I'll wake you when breakfast is ready, all right?"

Severus was going to reply but yawned instead. He slacked against the sheets as he mind and body sunk further into a comfortable repose.

Ignoring the rambunctious noises coming from upstairs for another minute, Hermione smiled down at her wizard on the verge of sleep again. Reluctantly, she began to move away from the bed when Severus muttered a barely coherent, "I intend to pay you back in full," that made Hermione halt in her tracks and return his offer with a smirk.

"That's what I hoped you'd say."

Severus eyelids fluttered open, straining to look at her standing at end of the bed. "How Slytherin of you," he whispered, which made Hermione throw back her head and laugh again.

"Well, I _did_ learn from the best, didn't I?" She leaned over and gently rubbed at one of his legs hidden beneath the pile of blankets. "Go back to sleep, love. I'll wake you in a bit."

Severus didn't argue. His eyes crashed shut, allowing Hermione to tiptoe back into the loo to promptly get dressed and head upstairs to gather the children.

When she reappeared from the loo, dressed in presentable work clothes and her hair pulled back in a loose-fitting bun, Severus was fast asleep again. In spite of the incessant noises reverberating from the floor above, his snores almost drowned out their daughters' high-pitched cackling and running footsteps.

Hermione snorted to herself, quite satisfied with how her morning had started out. Taking another moment to peek over at her slumbering husband, Hermione finally crept out of the room to start her day at last.

* * *

**A/N #2: This one-shot came to me whilst at work and enjoying my morning coffee. I could've hexed the Muse then and there, since the images it conjured up proceeded to torture me the rest of the day. **

**I hope you liked it? It's been a while since I've written anything smutty. Please tap that review button, won't you? It's looking quite sad. **


	6. A Question of Babies

**A/N:**** I'm afraid my Muse is still being "meh" with me lately. It's frustrating but I'm trying to plug away, though I _do_ sincerely hope the interest in more _UL_ stories is still present for any who are following or were curious for more before? **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**A Question of Babies**

_Jeannie presents Severus with a question—and explanation—that leaves the normally steely wizard deeply affected._

_(Prompt from **snapeophil**,who asked for a one-shot involving Severus and infamous sex-related questioning from the girls. I chose the youngest for this one.)_

* * *

Jeannie sat in a wobbly chair at the edge of Severus's work bench, watching him brew his latest attempt at a newly improved concoction on a traditional, old idea. How her father could ever sit on such an unsturdy, uncomfortable piece of rickety wood—not that he was prone to sitting often—was beyond her normally sharp intuition, particularly for that of a five-year-old.

Severus stirred the contents of his bubbling cauldron with meticulous flair, his black eyes focused on the subtle shifts in temperature and heat, mentally evaluating every step in the process as he always did with his fine craft. His daughter found the act of watching him in his element fascinating, for which her siblings before her could attest to and agreed; but Severus remained unaware, completely immersed in his art. He knew Jeannie was studying him, as she and his older children were prone to doing, and would press him with her questions as they came to her.

At the moment, however, the littlest Snape seemed content to observe, remaining silent throughout most of his potion-making. The brilliant wizard took that solitude as an opportunity to lose himself in the fastidious methodology of it all, and his daughter didn't appear to mind one bit.

Severus added an assortment of runespoor eggs to his latest invention and the contents immediately frothed and fizzed, changing to a magnetic red that lingered for several seconds—four, to be precise—before dulling to a darkish maroon. Then the quietude of Severus's lab was disrupted by a small, cheerful voice, which abruptly ended the comfortable silence.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?" Severus returned with a mumble.

To any other child, his leveled, yet deep, register would have served as a forewarning that the Potions Master didn't wish to be bothered—nay, one shouldn't _risk_ disrupting him, if they knew what was good for them. To the bouncy-haired girl swaying back and forth in his work chair, however, that tone of voice meant nothing. She was his doted upon daughter. Thus, _she_ was an exception.

"Can I ask you something?"

It wasn't really a question but, rather, an indication that more was coming from the spirited, endlessly curious child. Severus's fixed expression didn't falter, but the eyes flickered like the whizzing of a passing broomstick, acknowledging that he was listening. Keeping his attention on his potion, Severus merely nodded and grunted by way of appeasing her.

Jeannie shot him a highly peculiar expression. She scrunched her nose and pursed her lips, her question on the tip of her tongue.

"Where do babies come from?"

Severus's high concentration snapped like a wand splintering in half. He blinked, whipped his head in Jeannie's direction, and all but dropped his stirring rod right into his perfectly assembled brew, which would have been most unfortunate if the wizard's reflexes weren't instantaneous. He managed to save the stirring rod, but only just.

With only a few words, Severus's youngest had successfully rendered him dumbstruck. His eyes were bulging and for as pale a man as he was, his complexion had even gone a shade whiter. In years past, such a visibly drastic change might have been cause for concern, but those days of constant worrying were—mostly—no longer.

Jeannie stared back, unaffected, as if she were casually inquiring after the constellations or how a wizard or witch's wand chooses its master. She waited for her answer with her head placed lazily in her hands.

"Daddy?" she prodded.

"Wha - What was that?"

Severus tried to clear his throat. He despised stuttering or actually being caught off his guard. It was a rarity, to be sure, but with his children it seemed to occur an unnerving amount.

Jeannie cocked her head to one side and repeated the question for him, even though it didn't necessarily require reiterating. "_Where do babies come from?_" she asked a second time with more emphasis.

Severus squinted his eyes, and not account of the low lighting in the laboratory. "Babies?" came his unsteady response.

_Where the hell did_ that _come from?_

Only minutes ago, she had been asking after his latest brew. Infants, pregnancy—_Sex!_ his mind screamed—had been the farthest topic of discussion. It was a testament to how peculiar and staggering children could be; at least, to Severus Snape. His daughters were mind-boggling creatures, indeed.

After facing said awkward—and, as far as Severus was concerned, untoward—questions from his three elder children in the past, the Slytherin in him knew he should have been better prepared for Jeannie's curious outburst. Now that he had been literally slapped with one of her more tricky questions, however, Severus found himself stumped.

_Just like last time._ His frown grew more severe. _Just like the past three times before. Damn it, Severus! Think!_

It didn't help that Jeannie's questioning emerged considerably sooner than her siblings, and, even if that wasn't the only reason for Severus being lost for words, the adept wizard found himself in a whirlpool in which he couldn't grasp anything to make purchase.

"Yes, babies!" Jeannie giggled, drawing him slightly out of his initial shock. "_Babies_, Daddy! Where do they come from?"

"I... Erm... Well..."

Severus could feel his cheeks burning. It wasn't the flames beneath his cauldron or the heat rising from the plum-colored potion that were the cause of such infuriating blushing. Though no longer paying much skillful attention to his concoction, Severus did mechanically begin stirring again. Not that he really needed something to do with his hands, but the one of the two that was free searched for something—_Anything!_—to occupy itself with anyhow.

_Your bloody brain needs to come up with a bloody answer, Severus! Fast!_

Instead, the usually sly wizard coughed and turned away from Jeannie. Where the hell was Hermione to address these sort of matters when he needed her? They _always_ tended to creep up when she was absent. Merlin knew his quick-thinking wife would have come up with something clever to say—something vague, yet lighthearted and age appropriate that Jeannie would understand and accept.

Severus had been most fortunate with his eldest, Lily. She hadn't harassed him for answers, unlike Jeannie, who surely wouldn't give up till she weaseled it out of him. Surina had been direct without follow up questioning—_Thank Merlin and Circe!_—and Hailey... Well, _that_ experience had taken a direction Severus never could have anticipated. Naturally, Hermione had been at work and unavailable, leaving the unwieldy task to the dark wizard to handle.

_Like now_, he growled, quickly tossing more ingredients into the steaming cauldron.

"Erm, where do they come from?" he muttered, repeating the toddler's question instead of answering it.

That response wouldn't do for the little girl dressed in green, who possessed the brightest obsidian eyes one would ever lay eyes on. Though midnight in hue, they shown with an intelligence and deep-seated understanding that transcended time.

"Daddy," she issued rather gravely, which caught Severus's attention; he arched an eyebrow and eyed her sidelong. "You're stalling."

"Am I?"

"_Yes!_" she tittered, her fetching smile returning. "Stop answering with questions! Please tell me, Daddy? _Please?_"

Thinking on the fly, and remembering the silly story Muggles often told their children—after all, Severus was no stranger to Muggle life at one time—Severus quickly blurted out, "A stork brings them."

Jeannie blinked, befuddled. "A stork?"

_What an utterly ridiculous suggestion, Severus!_ his conscience fumed and wrestled; he could almost hear his own mind laughing at him. _Jeannie's far too smart for such a folly answer as... A stork? You're loosing your touch._

"Erm, yes, a stork," he stammered.

Sure enough, Jeannie came back at him with high-pitched laughter, much like the chuckling that was playing out in his head. "That's so silly, Daddy!"

"All right then."

With that, Severus threw down his stirring rod and leaned his hip into the table, facing his daughter head on with his rolled up sleeves crossed across his chest. He continued to squint at her, as though trying to read his daughter's mind.

"Where do _you_ think you and your sisters came from?" he challenged; in the back of his mind, Severus was leery of asking such a question, but it seemed to beat coming up with an answer himself.

_What if she comes remarkably close to the truth?_ Severus's eyes momentarily widened. _What if she actually_ knows_? No... She's a bright little witch, but she's not_ that _smart yet! She couldn't possibly know the hows of... No! Could she?_

What Jeannie threw back at her father made his heart beat faster. Keeping her chin in her hands, she raised her nose to him and gave Severus a composed look.

"I think you and Mummy made me."

_Shit._

Severus visibly startled, though the act was so subtle that no one outside of his family, who knew him well, would notice. "What?" he whispered, the rigidness of his mouth loosening into a slight gaping.

"Am I right, Daddy?"

_Absolutely not!_

Severus's body stiffened. "I won't elaborate._ You_ tell _me._"

Jeannie gave a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Oh, fine." She let out a heavy sigh. "I think you and Mummy made Lily, Surina, Hailey, and me together."

_No..._

"Go on," Severus found himself encouraging, despite the wariness formulating in his mind.

"I think you both made us out of love, yes, Daddy?"

_Hermione, where the hell are you when I need you?_

"Erm, yes... That's true..."

"And Mummy must've taken something to have me. Did you help her, Daddy? Did you make it?"

Severus's brow knitted. "Come again?"

Jeannie's small arm pointed to his bubbling cauldron. "A _brew_, Daddy! A magical brew makes babies, doesn't it? You made something for Mummy to take and then I was magically made."

_Well,_ that's _relatively clever..._

Severus was overwhelmed by his youngest's answer, and yet, more than a tad relieved—even humored. His eyes glanced from the pretty youth to his potion and back to her.

"Ahhh, I see... A potion, you say? Magic?"

Jeannie lowered her arm and leaned forward against the work bench, her face lighting up with excitement. "Yes, Daddy! Magic. Is there a baby brew you made for Mummy? Did Mummy help make it? Did you magically make us?"

Slowly, Severus found his stern mouth turning upward. _What a bloody relief!_ he thought briefly before nodding in response to Jeannie's prodding. It may not have been what the professor expected, but it was a surprisingly welcoming excuse.

"Yes, we _did_, sweetheart." He indulged the little girl further by way of an encouraging, thin smile. "You were all magically brought into this world."

"What's the baby brew?"

"Ahhh, _that_ I cannot tell you."

Jeannie's mouth contorted with disappointment and confusion. "Why not, Daddy?"

Severus started stirring his concoction again but paused to thoughtfully scan his daughter's face. "Only daddies and mummies-to-be know the contents of _that_ particular potion. It's not public knowledge but, rather, of the utmost secrecy, meant only for the parents to know. One day, when you're ready to become a mummy, you'll know the solution, too."

"Oh..."

Watching the enthusiasm vanish from her eyes, Severus halted his potion altogether and turned to face her once more. "You thought correctly, Jeannie. You're very smart to come up with that, did you know?"

Jeannie's smile gradually returned, though not as beaming as before. "I was right, wasn't I, Daddy?" she squeaked, perceivably proud of her accomplishment.

"Indeed."

Severus directed the tot over to him with a toss of his head and an arm extended out to her. A few straggly hairs brushed across his eyes, softening his gaze.

Jeannie didn't hesitate to hop off of the rickety chair and skip over to the wizard, allowing Severus to draw her close. Jeannie, too, wrapped her arms about his waist, hugging him tightly as they so often did.

For a long moment, Severus embraced his little girl, just as she warmly returned his enfold. Then, he encouraged Jeannie to gaze up at him by tugging her gently by the chin. It was difficult not to get lost in the raven depths of those young, percipient eyes—so pulling and deep and beckoning. Severus didn't so much as blink as he took them in, along with the rest of her beautiful, doll-like features. How the surly wizard had ended up with such lovely, heartwarming, and accepting little girls was beyond his rationale, but, in moments such as these, Severus was immensely grateful for them all the same.

"You're also correct about something else, Jeannie," he murmured to her, keeping his gaze focused on her.

The delight in Jeannie's expression was unmistakable. "What, Daddy?"

"_Magic_," Severus purred softly. "Magic has everything to do with where babies come from..."

"It does? Oh, I knew it! It makes so much sense, Daddy! We're surrounded by magic all the time and use it every day!"

"Yes, we do; but it's important that you know what children like you are, Jeannie."

Jeannie angled her head, intrigued. "Yes, Daddy?"

"What mummies and daddies do together_ is_ magic, Jeannie, but _so are you._"

Jeannie's demeanor lit up like a spark. "I am, Daddy?_ I'm_ the magic, too?"

Severus leaned down to kiss the top of her head, an arm still wrapped around her tiny body, before he peered down at her again with a warm gaze meant only for her. The strain and original stress of the situation had dissipated, leaving a wave of calm and contentedness in its wake between father and daughter.

"Yes, pumpkin, you _are_ the magic to your mother and me. _You all are._"

* * *

**A/N #2: Kind of silly, I know, but I hope you still enjoyed it? Reviews are greatly appreciated. **


	7. The Outbreak

**A/N:**** I hope this longer one-shot is a sign that the Muse is coming back. *fingers crossed* **

******Also, for anyone interested, I _may_ be posting a new SSHG novelette (hopefully) in the coming weeks (aka non-_UL_. Can you believe it? Neither can I! Eep! Nerve-wracking!) Just add me to your Author Alerts if you'd like to be notified. ;) **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**The Outbreak**

_After the Snape family comes down with the Wizarding flu, a Potions Master goes into overdrive to help his family recoup._

_(Prompt from **Rocky181**, who asked for a one-shot involving the flu, in which Severus plays nurse and then the opposite takes effect. I'm a sucker for a certain snarky wizard needing taken care of, so here we go!)_

* * *

Severus and Hermione had a terrible inkling that things were somewhat amiss well before the girls came home for the Christmas hols, though they mostly kept such underlying concerns amongst themselves.

Hermione had met Lily, Surina, and Hailey at Platform 9 ¾ following the end of her half work day, feeling both anxious and excited about her daughters' return home. Severus and Jeannie had also been bustling about the house for the past few days leading up to the girls' arrivals with extra enthusiasm in their steps. It was always such when the entire Snape family were together again—a gathering that was more of a rarity these days than either Hermione or Severus would have preferred.

It was the girls' first year at Hogwarts without the comfort and constant company of their father, but that wasn't what alarmed Hermione when she spotted her three daughters amongst the rambunctious lot of students exiting the Hogwarts Express train that brisk December afternoon. It was the sore sight of her two eldest children, Lily and Surina, that brought about an unsettling feeling in the pit of Hermione's stomach. She gathered that Severus would be worried, too, once he saw them for himself.

Both were looking rather pinkish around the nose and cheeks, and their red-rimmed eyes and slouched body language didn't lessen Hermione's concerns as they tread over to greet her. Hailey was the only one of the three walking considerably faster than her sisters, as though wishing to put as far a distance between her and her siblings as possible.

"Hey, Mum!" Hailey greeted her happily.

_Nothing unusual there_, Hermione thought with relief, embracing her Gryffindor lookalike and then stepping forward to greet the others. She zoned in on Lily first, who practically slumped into her mother's arms.

"You're looking run down, sweetie," Hermione said, surveying Lily with a frown, who appeared the worse of the two.

"Just a little tired is all," Lily grumbled in return, which didn't sound at all like the always amiable fourth year.

"And you as well, Surina." Hermione reached over to hug her handsome third year daughter, every bit the Slytherin like her father, and her senses noted how warm the two of them felt to the touch.

"Wizarding flu, Mum," Surina confirmed Hermione's fears with a grimace. "It's going around the school right now. I hope we haven't caught it. Scorpius already went home a day early because he was sick."

Hermione let out a weighty sigh. _Fabulous. Just what our family needs right now._

The Wizarding flu was proving particularly problematic that season. So many of her coworkers had been out sick in recent weeks with the contagious bug that it was a wonder Hermione and those who remained unscathed were able to continue running Magical Law Enforcement at all. Even Harry, Head of the Aurors Department, had been out for nearly a week with sickness.

Thanks to her husband's fastidious potion-making skills, however, both Hermione and Severus had managed to avoid its symptoms, though they worried over any one of their daughters catching that season's bad strain. _Severus won't be pleased_, Hermione reflected to herself, knowing that he would probably be brewing a number of potions over the next several days. It wasn't the act of having to brew that had Hermione perturbed, however, but, rather, her wizard's knack for over stressing about the girls that might prove problematic to them all, particularly if _he_ came down with flu. Although Hermione was quite a capable potion-maker herself, as was Hailey, her husband _was_ the expert in that department—even inventing several concoctions that were now household items whenever anyone in the family came down with illness.

Hermione drew Lily and Surina close as Hailey ambled on ahead of them. She noted Lily, for one, was trembling slightly, and Surina trudged along in a daze with her eyes half closed.

_I hope they'll be feeling better by Christmas, poor things._

"I think you both have fevers," Hermione pointed out as they made their way to the Apparation point. "Come, let's get you home. I'm sure your father can brew you something that'll help."

* * *

"Why weren't we informed?" Severus growled as he and Hermione descended the stairs after tucking Lily and Surina into their beds. "Someone at Hogwarts should've notified us."

"Oh, Severus, for goodness' sake," Hermione chuckled and shook her head at him once they reached the first level. "They just started feeling bad yesterday afternoon. Surina mentioned a sore throat and Lily a persistent coughing. How would Minerva or any of the others known that—"

"Isn't it their job to inform parents when there's an outbreak of Wizarding flu?" he challenged through a hiss.

"I don't think it's reached that level yet, love."

Severus sneered disapprovingly. "Even so!" He sighed weightily, sensing his irrationality over the matter, and ran his long fingers through his hair. "I suppose this means we'll need more preventives for us, Hailey, and Jeannie, if we're to avoid this."

"I'm afraid so." Hermione leaned into him for a hug and was contented when Severus saw fit to wrap his arms around her, tugging her to his chest and shielding her frame from view with his cloak. "Perhaps something for Lily and Surina, too, to help settle their stomachs?" she suggested as she rested her head comfortably against his coat.

"I gave them each a Fever Reducer for now, but seeing as they already have the virus, it may not do them much good." Hermione could detect the understated fret in Severus's rich, steady voice and couldn't prevent the small smile that emerged; how anyone could possibly think the man incapable of possessing feelings was beyond his loving wife. "I need to make a trip to Diagon Alley tomorrow to pick up more ingredients. In the meantime, the Fever Reducer should knock them out for a couple hours, at least."

"It may just be a fever, love."

"I doubt it," Severus returned, unconvinenced. "Lily's white as a sheet, and Surina was complaining of stomach pains."

Hermione peered up at him with her warm smile still intact. "Well, _try_ not to stress yourself out too much, all right?"

Severus angled his eyebrows. "What on earth—"

"I _know_ how you get when any one of us gets the smallest cold, Severus."

"_They're sick, Hermione_."

"And these things happen from time to time," she tried to reassure him patiently. "They'll be fine in a couple days. Hailey and Jeannie should take a preventive now."

Hermione reached onto her tiptoes to leave an affection kiss on Severus's cheek and unlocked herself from his grasp. Her hand trailed down his arm to weave through his fingers for a second before finally falling out of his. She started to stroll down the hallway towards the sitting room when Severus came sweeping up behind her, keeping pace with her step.

"_You_ need to take a preventative as well," he insisted, though not in a biting fashion.

Hermione merely shot him another alleviating smile. "Will do, _Professor._"

Severus rolled his eyes at her attempt to make light of the situation. His nerves simply wouldn't allow it; not when it came to the protection and welfare of his loved ones.

By that point, the couple had reached the sitting room, where a roaring fire had been cast and the comforting sight of two healthy children came into view. Hailey was seated on a green, worn down sofa with a textbook in hand, as well as fresh parchment and a feathered quill spread over her lap. She squinted to make out the text against the fluorescent light emitting from the hearth, whilst Jeannie was sprawled out on the rug, playing with a few of her stuffed animals and chatting away animatedly without a care in the world.

"Hailey?" Severus addressed his curly-haired daughter as he stepped into the room.

Hailey casually glanced up from her book. "Yeah?"

"How are you feeling?"

Sensing his worry, even if he refused to show it outright, Hailey grinned pleasantly up at him. "I'm fine, Dad."

"No stomach pain or shivers?"

"Nope, none at all," she answered and proceeded to resume her studies, obviously preoccupied.

"And you, Jeannie?" Severus waited for the babbling youth to roll onto her back and gaze up at him properly, her raven eyes scanning the stress lines on her father's face with curiosity. "Do you feel all right?"

"Yes, Daddy!"

Severus let out a breath he wasn't even aware of holding in and reached down to pry Jeannie away from the comforts of the warm fireplace. She didn't object and kept one of her stuffed animals linked through her arm and the other looped around Severus's neck.

"Let's take a preventative then," Severus suggested as he carried Jeannie away from Hailey and Hermione and down the hallway towards his laboratory.

As they descended the stairs, Jeannie scrunched her nose and stuck out her tongue, as if she could already taste the potion her father had in mind. "But it's so yucky, Daddy!" she half whined, which Severus acknowledged with a snort, knowing just the procure he'd require to convince his children to take their antidotes.

"How about I add some watermelon flavor? Will that do?"

In an instant, Jeannie's frown turned on its head. "Oh, yes, Daddy! Yes!"

"How I must bribe any of you to take the necessary precautions," the surly wizard griped under his breath, which Jeannie overheard and giggled lightheartedly into his ear.

* * *

Later that evening, after ensuring that the rest of his uncontaminated family had taken the preventative potions he'd requested, Severus took the liberty of checking on Lily and Surina, starting with his Slytherin daughter.

Surina was fast sleep and snoring when he quietly entered her bedroom, smirking for only a moment at her slumbering form. Although not enough to erase his anxiety, the sight before him was still somewhat amusing. Her mouth was hanging limp as she snored unabashedly, her long hair disheveled and a mess. Severus moved one of her arms, draped lazily over her bed, underneath the covers, and it was then that Surina squirmed and stirred out of sleep, her heavy eyelids narrowing to make out her father's towering form in the darkness.

"Dad?" she asked sleepily.

"It's all right, muffin," he issued softly in a manner no one ever heard save for his children and wife. "It's only me. I have something here to alleviate your stomach pains. You should take it."

Surina's face sunk into her pillow, but Severus could still make out a muffled "No," as she resettled beneath the covers, which he'd drawn up to her head. Severus narrowed his eyes, his mouth stern and uptight.

"_Yes_," he retorted and poked her in the back several times, earning further complaint from his daughter, "or would you prefer to retch later on?"

Surina grunted, annoyed by her father's nagging, but, reluctantly, she rolled onto her back and brushed long strands of hair away from her face. "What flavor is it, Dad?" She arched an eyebrow in the same manner he routinely did.

Severus's rigid lips turned upward at _that_ inquiry. "Peppermint. Your favorite."

Without another word, Surina propped herself onto her elbows and drank the potion in one swig. She cringed slightly, fumbled to hand the phial back to Severus in the darkness, and collapsed back onto her bed. Silently, she allowed Severus to resituate her emerald-colored blankets around her neck.

"Thanks, Dad," she mumbled groggily, for which Severus smirked again.

"You're welcome," came his simple, yet soothing, reply, which was enough to lull Surina back to sleep. He surveyed his second eldest a moment longer before leaning forward to brush her forehead with a kiss, sensing Surina's fever when his lips touched her skin. "Sleep well, sweetheart."

Surina's eyes crashed shut. Her breathing was even and sleep-induced before Severus was out of the room, and not before he ensured that she had a glass of water and a bowl at her disposal by conjuring them out of thin air.

Moving as noiselessly as he always did, he stalked down the hall to the room closest to the stairs—Lily's bedroom—and entered, wishing to make the least amount of noise as possible. Severus's eyes instantly met Lily's ashen face. To his surprise, she was awake and alert and sitting upright against her headboard, shivering and clutching her stomach.

Severus startled at the sight of his sick child, his body freezing in the doorway. His mind was aware of what was about to ensue before it happened.

"Dad," Lily mewled, her eyes near pleading with him for relief.

Then Lily abruptly drew forward and vomited all over her pale yellow duvet. Severus winced at the poor sight of his daughter bent in half, but then his body kicked into action. Withdrawing his wand, Severus swiftly vanished the foul contents that stained Lily's bed and _Accio_'d another bowl from the kitchen, which he dropped into Lily's lap after brushing damp hairs away from her face.

Severus felt her forehead as she continued to groan and clutch her stomach. "You're quite warm, Lily."

Lily merely moaned in return and mumbled out a barely coherent apology about the mess she'd made. Severus propped a few pillows behind the girl's head, along with transfiguring a glass of water for her use, and brought the covers up to her neck.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scolded her gently, pausing to place a kiss on top of her head. "Keep the bowl close. I need you to try and get this down for me."

"What is it?" Lily muttered, for a moment sounding as though she was going to throw up a second time. She waited for the unsettling feeling to pass by before peering up at the somewhat frazzled wizard hunched over her. "One of yours?"

Severus's anxiety softened a little at that question. "Yes, of course."

"Is it strawberry?"

"Indeed."

Despite feeling dreadful, Lily cracked a small smile. "Thanks, Dad."

Before Severus could say anything, however, Lily proceeded to be sick again. She launched herself forward and puked into the bowl more than once, not totally aware that Severus had taken a seat at her side and wrapped his arms around her shivering body to keep her from convulsing too badly.

When Severus sensed that Lily had emptied the contents of her stomach, he quickly cleansed her bowl and had Lily take the stomach settling potion he'd brought in the hopes that it would reduce her symptoms. After several minutes of holding her close—Lily had collapsed against him and was using her father to remain propped upright—Severus helped his eldest daughter lay down and bundle herself beneath the covers. He then _Accio_'d a warm, wet washcloth and draped it over Lily's forehead as an added precaution.

"Dad," she groaned, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Hush," he purred close to her face, holding the girl down to keep her still. "Go to sleep, Lily. Try to, anyway. Mum and I are just downstairs if you need anything."

"All right... But you...can't...get this..."

"I won't," he assured her quietly, giving her cheek a peck and noting how alarmingly hot she felt. "Don't worry."

"But Dad..."

"Enough," he insisted, not understanding her concerns. "Now, take this as well."

Severus reached into his robes and extracted a Sleeping Draught. Lily didn't even ask what it was but accepted the potion without question. Eventually, she settled down and, though still trembling, fell asleep in Severus's presence. Ever attentive, he cast a quick diagnostic check, noting Lily's high fever, before exiting the room.

"How are they?" Hermione inquired when her husband entered their bedroom. Sitting up in bed with a book in her hands, she placed it on her lap when she detected the tension on Severus's somewhat worn face. "I saw you _Accio_'d something upstairs?"

"A bowl for Lily. She most definitely has the flu."

Hermione's eyes flashed. "Oh, dear, I ought to check on her—"

"There's no need, my dear." Severus raised a hand from across the room, gesturing to Hermione not to get out of bed. "I've already given her something to settle her stomach, as well as a Sleeping Draught. She'll be out for a while."

"What about Surina?"

"She has a fever. I'm afraid she probably has it, too."

Hermione resettled against the pillows, though the trepidation in her eyes was perceivable to Severus, who missed nothing. "Well, Hailey was just in here and I sent her off to bed."

Severus's frown deepened. "Don't tell me..." he grumbled, to which Hermione tentatively nodded.

"Hailey's complaining of stomach pains. No fever yet, but I think she may have it as well."

Severus's arms dropped to his sides and he let out an aggravated snarl. "This place is turning into the Outbreak Hotel." His comment earned him an affectionately humorous smile from his wife, who watched the disgruntled, dark wizard shake his head.

"I'm sorry, love."

Severus muttered something under his breath and then eyed his wife gently from the open doorway. "I'll make up another batch."

Hermione, again, started to rise from the bed. "Can I help?"

"No," Severus insisted before turning on his heel in a sea of black robes. "Just let Hailey know I'll be along shortly."

* * *

Deciding that it was best to make up as much Fever Reducer, Sleeping Daught, and stomach settling potions as the ingredients he had left would allow before retiring for the night, Severus finally crawled into bed next to his wife in the wee hours of the morning, grateful when Hermione didn't stir as he curled up at her back, snuggling his nose into the nape of her neck.

_What an adventure the next few days shall be_, was the last thought that crossed Severus's mind before he succumbed to sleep, waking well before Hermione the following morning.

As Severus slowly unfurled his arms from around Hermione's waist, the unsettling, drawn out groan that escaped her lips made him pause mid-shift. Gazing at her more intently, Severus inched closer and pressed his hand to her forehead.

_Oh, for Merlin's sake._

"Sev...erus," she managed to get out between moans. "I think... I don't...feel so good..."

"I'd imagine you don't," he retorted in a low growl; not frustrated with her but, rather, with the unfortunate situation his family found themselves in. "You have a fever, Hermione."

Hermione grunted something else before attempting—unsuccessfully—to scoot away from him. Severus's brow knitted, befuddled by what she was doing as she tried to gather together some of the sheets and sit up.

"What on earth are you doing, witch?"

"You...should stay...away from me..."

"Oh, Merlin and Circe—"

"_I mean it, Severus_," she urged with more bite. "You...of all of us...are far more susceptible to..."

With that, Hermione was unable to complete her sentence. She hurled herself over the side of the bed and vomited onto the floor, leaving Severus to roll his eyes at her back and reposition himself next to her, holding back his wife's curly, bed-headed hair as she emptied her stomach at will.

"Stubborn creature," he teased into her ear, easing Hermione back onto the bed when he sensed she was through retching.

Reaching for his wand on his nightstand, Severus cleaned the floor with a flick of his wrist and bundled a shivering Hermione into his arms, holding her tightly in place. Too weak to fight off his efforts, Hermione found herself snuggling into his warm chest and moaning against his skin.

"I feel awful."

"I would imagine so." Severus kissed her perspiring forehead and rubbed at her arm to ignite some body heat back into her system. "Shall I propose a vanilla flavor for your stomach, know-it-all?" he goaded, which made her chuckle before whimpering again.

"Ugh, git! Whatever you've made will suffice."

"Very well, love."

Kissing her brow a second time, Severus ran a diagnostic check to confirm Hermione's flu symptoms and helped her lie down flat on the bed, _Accio_'ing several more blankets to keep her warm. He started to move away from the bed when Hermione loosely grabbed his arm.

"Severus, you really _should_ stay away from us right now, you and Jeannie."

"Don't be absurd," he shot down her evident worries through a gentle growl. "What would you have me do? Leave you all to fend for yourselves?"

"No...but..."

"Then let it go."

"I hope you've taken a preventive..."

"I _have_, Hermione."

"Because it would be just like you to forget and not look after yourself, you know," she carped at him before shutting her eyes, a wave of nausea taking over.

Choosing to ignore that particular comment, Severus _Accio_'d yet another bowl from the kitchen, which he placed next to Hermione, and a damp washcloth that he laid across Hermione's forehead.

"Go back to sleep, would you?" he demanded, lightly pecking her nose and inching away from the bed at last, though he smirked when he discovered that Hermione wasn't through badgering him.

"You're impossible. I really wish...you would listen to me..."

Severus, in the midst of pulling on his trousers and dragon-hide boots, shot her an amused look from across the room. "And why would I be foolish enough to do something like that?"

"Obstinate arse," she croaked; but that was the only insult she could throw back at him, for she shot upward and threw up into the bowl.

Severus swiftly finished getting ready—buttoning his frock coat and throwing on his cloak—before he cleansed Hermione's bowl. With a petulant sigh, he ensured that Hermione lay back down before taking his leave.

"I'll be right back."

"Check on the girls first," Hermione requested as she rolled onto her side. She didn't see Severus nod his compliance nor hear his hurried footsteps march out of the room, returning shortly with potions for her to take, which she did so dutifully before falling into a deep sleep.

Severus next checked on the children, stopping lastly in Hailey's room, where she, too, had been sick during the night. Cringing at the smell that assaulted his nostrils, Severus made right of her room, as well as the stench, and darted over to her bedside.

"Hey, Dad," she mumbled beneath the heavy covers, peering up at him through glazed eyes.

"Hey, munchkin," he addressed her endearingly, his voice unnaturally soft to the outside world but, to his daughter, entirely normal-sounding. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm dying."

"That's most unfortunate. How shall we rectify the situation?"

"Very funny, Dad."

The second year giggled a little at the dramatic eye roll her father projected but quickly grew drowsy again, unaware that that was partially due to the hot water bottle Severus had discretely inserted at the edge of her bed, which he proceeded to do so for Lily and Surina as well, both of whom remained fast asleep when he entered their rooms.

Making sure to leave each of them phials on their nightstands for when they awoke, Severus was just about to make his way back downstairs to check on his supplies when Jeannie stumbled out of her room, rubbing at her eyes and clutching a teddy bear in her hand that had seen better days.

"Good morning, little one," Severus greeted softly, inwardly relieved to see no signs of sickness from the youngest Snape member—yet.

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

"As am I." Severus reached down to scoop the tot into his arms with ease, something that, not even a year ago, would have been difficult for him to accomplish. "Come, I'll make you some pancakes."

"Yes, Daddy!" she squealed happily, sounding very much like her upbeat self.

* * *

The short trip back from Slug & Jiggers Apothecary that afternoon was when Severus first noted the tightening in his throat. Several hacks at first dispersed the uncomfortable feeling, but its persistence grew worse by the evening hours. Not that he paid it any mind.

_Did I take that preventive this morning?_ the usually sharp wizard pondered with a sneer, knowing how an otherwise indisposed Hermione was winning their argument from earlier that morning. _To hell with it_, he dismissed, waving his hand in the air, even though no one was around to notice.

Jeannie had been put to bed hours ago, and the rest of his family continued to sleep and fight off their fevers as Severus brewed more potions for the following day. The evening had gotten away from him, however, as he stirred and concocted antidotes in his laboratory. The fumes made the space considerably overheated, but Severus was accustomed to working in such conditions. Tonight was a slightly out of sorts exception for him, though.

The cravat around his neck was proving a nuisance, for which he quickly disposed of it, as well as his robes and frock coat. The temperature in the room, for which he routinely worked in, was becoming unbearable, and quite early on in the brewing process, which alerted his senses that something was off. Most importantly, his vision was blurring on occasion, and his head was starting to feel as heavy as an oversized bludger. He was also sweating quite profusely—at least, for him.

Like most matters that centered around himself, however, Severus ignored the bothers and kept on brewing, only pausing when he was interrupted by a tiny voice that entered his laboratory well after midnight. Spinning around, Severus found Jeannie hovering by the staircase and looking as pallid and unhealthy as her pale green nightgown.

"Daddy," she whimpered, and as she made to clutch her stomach, Severus was already half way towards her, just as she hunched over and retched all over the stone floor.

Severus immediately picked the sick toddler up, gathered her close to his chest, and cleared the mess without a word, pausing the potions he was in the midst of making to give Jeannie the necessary antidotes needed to help calm her nausea. Feverish and disoriented, Jeannie cried softly and clung to Severus as they climbed the stairs.

"So, you, too," Severus sighed in dismay, brushing his hand over Jeannie's burning forehead. "I'm surrounded by outbreak monkeys."

Not following her father's light teasing, Jeannie merely whined and nuzzled her face into his neck. She continued to mope for him and Hermione for some time, even once they were back in her room. Severus tried to ease her back into bed but to no avail, for the ill little girl clung to the dark wizard and wouldn't allow him to pry her arms from around his neck.

Thus, Severus waited patiently for her Sleeping Draught to kick in, and it was only then that he was able to successfully uncoil Jeannie's firm grasp—now relaxed and loose—and situate her warmly beneath a pile of blankets, as well as yet another hot water bottle that he conjured out of one of her stuffed animals.

Running a diagnostic check on her fever before leaving her room, Severus took several more minutes to check on his other children, who were all sleeping peacefully, and trekked back down the stairs, the stress of the past two days written all over the harsh lines of his face. He had just reached the bottom step when a weary Hermione emerged from their bedroom, looking a touch paler than usual. Her hair was frizzy and sprouting every which way, which would have amused Severus if he weren't so exhausted. Aside from a whiter complexion, however, Hermione seemed to otherwise be on the mend, much to her husband's relief.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Severus asked, a bit startled to find her up and about.

Hermione rubbed at her eyes before opening them fully. "I heard Jeannie crying."

"She's come down with the flu."

Hermione's motherly concern kicked into high gear. She brushed past him with the intent of going to Jeannie but was stopped in her tracks by Severus's firm grip on her arms.

"I've given her potions and put her to bed."

"Are you sure she's—"

"_Tomorrow_, Hermione," Severus urged her, unable to mask the strain in his voice any longer. "You can check on her in the morning. You need to get back in bed."

Hermione fell silent for a moment, searching her husband's haggard features for the first time since falling ill. "You do as well," she murmured with concern.

Severus blinked, a confused line forming between his eyebrows. "I'm fine."

"You look tired, love."

"I've been brewing all night," he sighed, growing quickly agitated by her fussing.

"Well, time to pack it in for the night." A warm hand latched onto Severus's arm and began tugging him towards the bedroom; it was difficult not to simply heed her suggestion. "Come on, Severus," she insisted patiently, but he reared back.

"I still have potions to finish."

"They can wait till the morning."

"No, they can't—"

Hermione weaved an arm around his back and pushed him rather persistently towards their bedroom, finding the task far easier than usual, which told her Severus wasn't entirely himself. "Don't make me hex you, Mister!" she goaded through light tittering close to his ear, her laughter informing the angst-ridden wizard that she was starting to feel better. However, there was still work to be done; or so his fatigued mind tried to reason.

With some additional physical and verbal resistance, Hermione managed to get Severus undressed and into bed, but not without him griping and sputtering under his breath that he was "perfectly fine" and that, if she and the girls wanted to feel better by the morning, "they'd need the potions" he had yet to finish.

"As if you're the only potion-maker around here," Hermione thoughtfully reminded him, much to Severus's mounting frustrations.

Once settled beneath the sheets, Hermione joined him and curled up at Severus's side, keeping a possessive arm around his waist. Even in the dark, with only the fireplace for light, Hermione could perceive the dark circles beneath Severus's eyelids, as well as the burdensome wrinkles lining his mouth and forehead that were more prominent than usual, and tried to sigh away her reservations by fondly kissing his cheek.

"You didn't take a preventative, did you?" she whispered to him before he fell into a deep sleep, giggling at the defiant look she received in return for the reminder.

* * *

The following morning, Hermione awoke feeling considerably better and well rested. Between her husband's concoctions and plenty of sleep, the sickness in her stomach was apparently gone, much to her inner relief. Detecting the steady rise and fall of Severus's chest against her cheek, where Hermione's head rested comfortably, the contented witch's lips stretched into a smile, though she kept her eyes shut. She was just drifting off to sleep again a few minutes later when she felt a strange poking against her ribcage, followed by deep grumbling that rose in urgency and intensity, until it finally registered to Hermione's drowsy conscience that Severus was speaking to her.

"_Hermione!_ Herm— Oh, Merlin... Hermione, you have to move!"

"What?" she groggily called out.

Hermione had just pried open an eye when Severus shot forward, pushing her a little too forcefully away from him so that he could throw his long legs over the side of the bed. Unfortunately, that was as far as he got before he started retching violently, the contents spewing onto the floor.

Hermione startled out of her sleep-induced state and scurried to shift Severus back onto his pillow, at the same time reaching for the bowl on her nightstand wandlessly and throwing it in front of her husband, just in time for him to empty his stomach again. He convulsed and gagged, all whilst Hermione held on to him through the worst of it, his senses only vaguely aware that she was with him.

Groaning miserably when he was through, Severus collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes, unmindful of Hermione cleansing the bowel and floor with her wand and tucking him snug beneath the covers. He was completely distracted by the ghastly pains in his stomach when some gentle stroking to his forehead eased his tired eyes open, and he found a hovering Hermione before him, brushing his brow and looking him over attentively.

"You really _do_ need to start listening to me, you stubborn sod," she murmured playfully to him, attempting to make light of the fact that he was now sick, too.

Severus growled feebly and shut his eyes again, wincing at the wave of nausea that hit him out of nowhere. A few minutes later, a heated compress was placed over his forehead, as well as a permeating heat that trickled into the room from the fireplace that made him feel quite toasty and secure, enough so to fall asleep. It felt like no time at all before he was prodded awake by someone else, and not Hermione.

"Dad? Dad? _Oi, Dad_. Wake up."

"He's pretty warm, Surina."

"Well, he looks about as bad as you did, you know."

"Gee, thanks, sis! You're _so_ flattering!"

Surina snickered; although Severus couldn't see her, he could decipher the wickedness in her tone of voice. "Well, it's _true_, Lily! You both have looked far better."

An aggravated sigh met Severus's ears before his shoulder was gently shaken. "Dad, wake up. You need to take something."

Severus felt his other shoulder also being prodded, which finally prompted his eyelids to flutter and open, albeit halfway. When his vision came into focus, he was met by the sight of an attentive Lily and Surina peering down at him, both seated on either side of him.

"He lives!" Surina snorted, smirking down at him with a few phials Severus recognized clasped in her hand.

Severus groaned sleepily, though he was instantly comforted by their presence. "Oh, you two," he muttered, barely able to speak. "The outbreak monkeys..."

Infectious laughter followed that remark. Fighting to keep his eyes open, Severus missed the warm smile from his eldest, who lightly brushed his cheek with the back of her hand.

"We have potions for you, Dad," Lily issued softly.

"Yep, it's your turn now!"

Severus's face contorted in confusion, though his eyes remained closed. "How?" he forced out, referring to whatever completed potions Surina had in her possession.

"Mum and Hailey," Surina returned matter-of-factly.

"Jeannie..."

Lily rewarmed the washcloth strewn across Severus's forehead before answering, "She's still sick, but she'll be all right, Dad. Her fever's coming down. She's sleeping now."

Slowly, Severus's eyes reopened and settled upon his children once more. "How long have I been out?"

"A couple hours." Without instruction or asking to do so, Surina brought one of the phials to Severus's lips, and he scarfed it down, as well as the others, silently and without scruple. "Hailey screwed up the concoctions you made last night, so she and Mum remade them this morning."

"_Surina!_" came a hiss at the end of the room, causing both girls to whip their heads around. "You didn't need to tell him that!"

"What?" Surina intoned, shrugging her shoulders at an infuriated Hailey, who came charging into the room, followed closely by a much calmer Hermione. "Why not?"

"_Because!_" Hailey huffed, and her flustered face came into view beside Severus's bed. "You make me sound like a complete idiot!" She peered down sheepishly at Severus, biting her lip in a fashion similar to her mother, which silently humored him, despite how ill he felt. "I'm really sorry, Dad. I didn't realize the Fever Reducer had already reached its peak temperature last night. It looked perfectly fine to me, but I should have checked manually instead of going off of instinct. So stupid! I went ahead and added—"

"It's all right, Hailey." Severus withdrew a hand from beneath the covers, which Hailey readily took into her own and squeezed tightly. "Thank you...for taking over..."

Hailey shot him a small, compassionate smile. "No problem, Dad."

Severus wanted to say more but, instead, another furious wave of sickness hit him without warning, forcing him to propel himself forward into an upright position. All three girls reared back, allowing Hermione to move in next to Severus and prop the bowl in front of him, just as Severus bent hard at the waist and threw up.

Each daughter tried not to cringe and stayed put, wanting to help in whatever capacity they could after having been looked after themselves. Hermione softly ordered them each a task as she helped Severus lay back down on the bed. Lily cleansed the bowl, Surina rewarmed a hot water bottle underneath the sheets that the indisposed, former spy wasn't fully aware of, and Hailey retook possession of her father's hand, holding it in hers for a short time before Hermione finally shooed them all out of the room.

"Thank you," Severus uttered once they were alone, echoing several low groans of discomfort. He felt the covers being drawn up around his face, as well as the tender stroking of well attuned fingers against his cheek that was instantly soothing.

"Of course, love. I'll check on you in—"

"Mummy? Daddy?" came the sudden, faint crying of Jeannie. "My belly hurts."

Severus forced his eyes open to discover the bouncy-haired toddler scrambling onto the bed and ignoring Hermione's protests to keep away from Severus. "Come, sweetie," she tried unsuccessfully, "I'll put you back to bed—"

"No," she moped, pouting first at Hermione and then at Severus in a captivating manner that, for Severus, tugged at his resolve.

The little witch seemed to inherently understand her capability of winning her father over, for she took his silence as an acceptance of what she wanted and turned her attention to Hermione as well in the hopes of getting her way. Hermione crossed her arms and stared at her daughter disapprovingly, but she was about to be overruled.

With a resigned sigh, Severus weakly extended an arm out from beneath the covers, causing Hermione to chide him through narrowed eyes. "Severus," she started, "you really shouldn't—"

"Oh, c'mon, Hermione. We're both contaminated," Severus implored her as Jeannie scooted beneath the covers and into the security of the once formidable Slytherin's arms. "It's perfectly fine."

Hermione didn't have it in her to instigate a row, so she gave in with considerable ease, giving them both a warmhearted smile. Quietly, she surveyed her husband and their youngest—snuggling together beneath the covers with their bodies relaxed and their eyes firmly shut, Severus's face burrowed behind all of Jeannie's thick curls—and said nothing more. She hesitantly willed her legs to move away from them after another moment or two, and not before leaning over them for one last kiss to each of their foreheads.

"Sleep well, you outbreak monkeys," she chuckled to herself.

Severus and Jeannie, however, were already fast asleep and didn't hear her jab at their expense. _Just as well_, Hermione reflected, her smile broadening.

Without another word, Hermione crept out of the bedroom to join the rest of her bug-free family, knowing the two lagging sick individuals in her home would be well soon.

* * *

**A/N #2: Hope you liked it, Rocky181, and, of course, anyone else who read it! Perhaps it can act as an appropriate send off to this past season's horrible flu strain? I was one of the fortune few who didn't catch it, but everyone else I knew did!  
**

**Please press that review button, won't you? It encourages my Muse so much to hear from you guys!**


	8. Surina's Dilemma

**A/N:**** I think I may have "jumped the gun" on that last Author's Note about my Muse's return. :/ Ah, well. Onto the next one! Sorry it took so long.**

******By the way, if it seems like it's taking me a while to get to yours whilst a few others have more than one prompt being met, it's only because some readers have sent in multiple prompts, _which you can do if you'd like, FYI!_ I want to be fair to everyone, but I'm also trying to organize these one-shots in this process, even if they're not meant to be in any particular order. I mainly pick and choose based on what I've previously written, so just rest assured that I _will_ get to all prompt requests. **

******_Again, feel free to send in more as you think of them!_**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Surina's Dilemma**

_Surina ponders what it potentially means to become a Slytherin with the help of Hermione and Severus._

_(Prompt from **Maureen Mooney**, who sent in my very first prompt for this collection—thank you!—asking for a one-shot about Surina starting at Hogwarts, how she felt about becoming a Slytherin, and if there were any self-doubts. This also happens to meet a similar prompt request from **snapeophil**, who asked for a Slytherin conversation between father and daughter**, **so this one-shot's for both of you!)_

* * *

"You're going to love Hogwarts, sweetie!" Hermione exclaimed whilst adjusting her daughter's new school robes, fussing with the hem length as Surina stared expressionless into the full length mirror before her eyes.

Surina's complexion was paler than usual. Realizing she hadn't responded to Hermione's remark, she gulped and feigned enthusiasm by nodding her head as excitedly as she could. Her attempt hardly matched the turmoil festering within, however.

Truth be told, Surina was nervous, and for reasons she had yet to disclose to anyone else, including her beaming mother, who was too busy soaking in the robes she was planning to purchase for Surina from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to take in what was troubling her so.

One of the store assistants had finally moseyed away from them after they'd found the proper fit, which left Surina and Hermione alone, offering just the sort of incentive Surina needed to confess what was on her mind. Watching her mother pause to check the list of school supplies yet to purchase on her thoroughly detailed list—something the whole family had been teasing her mercilessly about all morning, including her father—Surina swallowed again and took a calculated breath before speaking up at last.

"Mum?" she addressed Hermione, her voice hardly registering.

Hermione casually peered up from her weathered piece of parchment, her eyebrows rising higher on her head when she noticed Surina's fraught-ridden expression. It wasn't like her second daughter to be at all unsure of, well, anything, including herself, which put Hermione immediately on alert.

"Yes, love?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Hermione quickly tossed the list she held into her magically-enhanced beaded bag. She strolled over to Surina from across the room, admiring her daughter in the full length mirror for a moment. Then she smiled warmly, a gesture that normally would have put any of her daughters at ease, but not this one.

"Of course you can. What is it?"

Surina's fingers twitched at her sides, one of them coming up to tug anxiously at the collar of her new robes. "Do you think... I was just thinking... Erm, well... Lily got into Gryffindor last year... So, do you think... I mean, what House do you think _I'll_ end up in?"

Hermione eyed her, puzzled. They'd had this discussion many times before, particularly over the summer hols leading up to the start of school. Surina wanted to be placed in Slytherin House, and Severus and Hermione had little doubt she would be, seeing as her personality was so undeniably her father's. They didn't, however, encourage her choice one way or the other in case the Sorting Hat decided differently.

"If she ends up in Slytherin, that's all well and good, but I have no wish to get her hopes up," Severus informed Hermione privately not too long ago.

"I don't think we have to worry about her being too disappointed, love." Hermione shrugged. "Then again..."

"The Sorting Hat may surprise us all." Severus subtly took his wife's hand in his. "Whatever it chooses for her, I just hope she'll be happy."

Today, as Hermione surveyed her daughter considerately through the mirror, she was caught off her guard by Surina's question. However, not wanting to add to whatever troubles clearly plagued the girl, Hermione softened her gaze and returned the inquiry with one of her own.

"Which House do _you_ want to end up in?"

"I..." Surina bit her lower lip, for a split second resembling her mother considerably; a fascinating sight to Hermione, given how much she resembled her husband. "I don't know..." came Surina's drawl of an admission, hushed and uneasy.

"Well, you don't _have_ to figure it out by the time school starts." Hermione reached an arm around her daughter to bring her close and rested her chin on Surina's shoulder. "In fact, if you're undecided, sweetie, you don't have to figure it out at all. The Sorting Hat will take care of that for you."

"But shouldn't I _know_, Mum?" Hermione could decipher the underlying panic in Surina's rhetorical questioning. "I mean, I - I thought I knew. And Lily, she knew her choice! She _wanted_ to end up in Gryffindor."

Hermione's eyebrows constricted, still not following Surina's unexpected grievances. "Well, haven't you been talking all summer about Slytherin House, Surina? What's changed?"

"Erm, well..."

"You're unsure now?" Hermione quietly finished for her, acknowledging the handsome youth's misgivings, even if she couldn't make sense of them.

Surina slowly met her mother's kind eyes through the mirror and, with reluctance, nodded her head, releasing some of the tension lines on her face. "No, I... I don't." She proceeded to chew her bottom lip again, though more severely. "Please don't tell Dad, Mum! I - I don't want to hurt his feelings—"

"And how on earth would you do _that_, sweetie?"

"Because he wants me to get into Slytherin! I can tell! He'd be so excited if I did, _I know it!_"

Hermione frowned at her daughter's worries. "Has he told you that?"

"I— Erm, no, but..."

"Then why do you think he'd be disappointed, Surina?" Hermione tried to keep her voice reassuring and calm in an effort to settle Surina's confounding anxieties.

"_Because!_" Surina huffed, the fret in her demeanor returning despite Hermione's efforts. "Lily got into _your_ House, Mum! Isn't it obvious that Dad would want me to get into _his?_ I'm sure he has no wish to be outnumbered by all Gryffindors!"

Hermione burst into lighthearted laughter at such a notion. "Oh, Surina, how could you think that? He wouldn't care in the least—"

"_How do you know?_" she challenged through a low growl, one that was eerily reminiscent of her father.

"Surina..."

"And then there's the whole issue of Slytherin House itself!" Surina blurted out, causing Hermione to rear back in shock.

"What?"

"Slytherin still has a bad reputation, Mum!" Surina's expression took on a look of emotional torment unlike any Hermione had ever seen from her daughter. It caused her to do a double take. "If I'm as much like Dad as everyone claims I am, and he was in Slytherin, then _I'll_ probably end up there, too. That was all fine to me before except..."

Hermione didn't reply straight away. Instead, she surveyed her daughter's dark eyes thoughtfully, inspecting the concerns that had, until now, loomed only below the surface of her daughter's otherwise indifferent disposition. She wove her free hand around Surina's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Surina, do you not want to end up in Slytherin House anymore? Is that what this is all about?"

"I..." Surina twisted her fingers together and furrowed her brow. "I did! I really did, Mum. Erm, before, that was, but now I'm not sure. Hearing some of the awful things people were saying today, I... I just don't know anymore..."

Finally, Hermione fully understood. She wasn't entirely surprised to learn of Surina's sudden plague of second thoughts, however. They had been shopping for school supplies in Diagon Alley most of the day and, throughout their family trip, Surina evidently hadn't been the only one to overhear less than flattering remarks about Slytherin House, as well as Severus himself. Hermione was dismayed to learn that Surina's ears, too, had caught some of what was said, and it made her heart sink as she realized how profoundly such catty whispers were affecting her daughter.

The family had started the day together at Potage's Cauldron Shop, where Severus and Hermione purchased a new cauldron and a potion-making kit for Surina. There had been several other families in the shop that morning, many of whom outright stared at the notorious former Headmaster with unfriendly eyes, whispering and pointing rudely at him and his family. The result had visibly jarred Surina, who went on the defense with more than one child in the shop, and had to be held back from outright punching a particularly smug Ravenclaw in the face by Severus. The only person who had managed to calm her down was Lily, but it didn't seem to lessen Surina's troubled state of mind as the day wore on.

At Flourish & Blotts, there had been further unwelcome buzzing about Slytherin House from a group of Gryffindors that Surina was unfortunately subjected to overhearing, as well as the rest of the family. Lily had, again, been the one to ease Surina's hurt and festering anger, and her parents hadn't thought much of it once Surina calmed down and reverted to what seemed like her old self again.

Following a family lunch at a cafe, Hermione and Surina ventured off together to purchase her school robes whilst Severus, Lily, Hailey, and Jeannie set off for Quality Quidditch Supplies to purchase new Keeper gear for Lily. Surina had been acting entirely normal to Hermione's recollection until now, and as she soaked in the perceivable confusion and hurt written on her daughter's face, she embraced her tightly and helped her step down from the small podium she stood on to be fitted for her robes. Quietly, she assisted Surina in taking them off before facing the troubled witch head on.

"There's nothing wrong with Slytherin House, Surina," she offered in an attempt to comfort her.

"But everyone else—"

"A select few isn't 'everyone else.' And what about your father?" Surina peered up at her abashedly. "Your father's a Slytherin, and it doesn't faze me one bit. I'm not at all ashamed of having a Slytherin for a life partner. Don't worry what other people think. You never have before, love."

"But the things they were saying—"

"Come from those _not_ in Slytherin House, sweetie. House rivalry is normal. You'll find that out even more once you enter Hogwarts, I'm afraid, and you'll just have to let it roll off your shoulders. It isn't worth getting your wand in a knot."

Hermione's attempt at humor didn't go over well, for Surina merely frowned acutely. "None of what those kids were saying at Flourish & Blotts sounded like friendly House rivalry to me, Mum," she grumbled, to which Hermione's smile reduced.

"No, you're right, it wasn't friendly. Most of it was quite untoward and unfair. Slytherin House has it tougher than the others, Surina, but it doesn't make a lot of what's said about your father's House justified. That's something I admittedly had to learn on my own."

Surina's eyes grew desperate. "And Dad?" she whispered. "What they were saying about him in the cauldron shop?"

"Impertinent and unjust," Hermione answered with more bite than she'd intended. She then sighed weightily and attempted to speak in a gentler fashion, "Unfortunately, you'll hear things about him from time to time that you don't like, Surina. I know we've warned you about this many times before, but don't let the poor opinions of a few dissuade you from picking Slytherin House," she paused, surveying Surina intensely, "_if that's what you want._"

"I... I think so... I just... Oh, bugger, I don't know!"

Surina threw up her hands in frustration, issuing a low growl and crossing her arms over her chest in a great huff of annoyance. Hermione couldn't help but muse how similar the girl's rigid stance, deep grimacing, and general attitude resembled that of her snarky wizard at that moment. _Severus would be proud_, she contemplated, amused, before returning to the grave manner at hand with less hilarity.

"It's all right to have second thoughts, dear—"

"But I was so sure before, Mum!" Surina groused, heaving her shoulders in a defeatist way. "And what if... What if I'm wrong? What if I don't actually get into Slytherin House? Or what if I _do_ and discover I dislike it?"

Hermione reached out to Surina and lightly patted her shoulder. "You're analyzing this far too much." Seeing as her daughter's grumpy temper didn't subside, she embraced her tightly and provided another encouraging look over. "Why don't you talk to your father about this when we get home?"

Surina's eyes widened, horrified by the idea. "_What?_ No!"

"Why ever not?"

"I told you, Mum, I don't want to upset him or hurt his feelings!"

"_You won't_, sweetie. Your father and I have already told you girls that we don't care what House you end up in, so long as _you're_ happy."

"I know, I know, but..." Surina shifted her weight from one side to the other, pondering the ordeal with visible distress in her eyes. "Won't he be disappointed though? Even a little bit?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "If you don't get into Slytherin House or if you're having second thoughts?"

"_Both!_"

At that, Hermione contentedly shook her head. "Not at all, Surina. I'm quite surprised that you think he would."

"Well..." Surina eyed her mother sidelong, and rather sheepishly at that. "You were pretty happy when Lily got into Gryffindor..."

Surina was surprised at how Hermione threw back her head and tactfully scoffed at her comment through more laughter. "Oh, Surina, c'mon! I'd have been just as happy if your sister got into Hufflepuff! You _really_ think it matters that much to us?"

Surina felt her face flush with embarrassment but also doubt. Why _did_ she think it mattered to her parents, when they had routinely told her it didn't? Did she have some bizarre desire to please her father that she hadn't figured out yet? Did she feel pressured to get into the Hogwarts House of Severus Snape simply because she had been under some misapprehension that it was expected of her?

Hermione leaned into Surina then and grasped her firmly by the shoulder, shaking her from her preoccupied thoughts. "Talk to your father about this, would you? If it's reassurance you need, Surina, then you really _should_ speak to him. He can explain what it means to be a Slytherin far more than I can; we both know that. He'll hear your concerns, sweetie. You know he'll want to know how much this is troubling you."

* * *

Severus lay sprawled out in the family reading room that evening with his feet propped up on a large coffee table. Books were strewn about and a light, summer breeze drifted in from an open window nearby, softly wafting at his neck and bringing with it a sense of calmness and tranquility unmatched by any the wizard could find when away from home. He was thankful to have removed his coat and cravat. As much as he preferred to keep certain traditions intact, it was too bloody hot to be bothered with his full attire today.

Still, he detested his children ever spotting the snake bites that were slashed so violently across his neck and, thus, usually opted for keeping them covered whenever possible. It wasn't only the occasional curious stares they garnered from his daughters, but, really, they were an unsightly imprint he'd rather forget.

_Not that you_ can _forget, Severus. Who are you fooling? No one. Not even them anymore. Lily now knows, and Surina is starting to suspect something's up. How long do you think it will take for Hailey and Jeannie to start wondering, too?_

Severus quickly shook such dreaded thoughts from his mind. For the moment, he was rather content—and relatively comfortable for a change—as he sat quietly surrounded by his family's extensive book collection, reading by candle light. It was getting late, Jeannie and Hailey had already gone off to bed, and his eldests would follow their siblings soon. After a day of shopping, Lily and Surina had been expectantly too excited about the prospect that loomed in the coming week: Hogwarts. With one planning to return to the Wizarding school and another about to start her first year, both were too giddy to retire yet and had stayed up with Hermione, packing their things far earlier than was necessary.

Severus had silently retreated to the reading room, leaving his wife and two daughters to their overly zealous antics, opting for some peace and quiet before calling it a night. It had been quite a physically trying day for him, what with all the shopping and parading about Diagon Alley, that Severus was more compliant than usual to give his body some much needed rest.

Severus turned the page of his latest issue of _Potions Weekly_ and had begun skimming an article on a new assortment of Concentration Capsules when the door crept open, tearing his eyes away from his magazine. Surina hovered behind the door, staring in on him in a peculiar manner she'd been displaying ever since they'd returned home from their trip. His puzzled eyes scanned hers, a dark eyebrow eventually rearing upward, waiting for her to come in.

"Surina?"

"Can I come in?"

Severus's brow wrinkled. "Of course you can."

_Since when does she ask permission to do...well, anything?_ he considered with newfound apprehension as he placed his magazine in his lap, watching Surina through unwavering eyes as she stepped silently into the room, shut the door, and strolled over to him with far less confidence—or casualness—in her stride. She plopped down on the couch, ignoring her father's disheveled assortment of books, and wrung her hands together in her lap.

"Surina," Severus stated simply, his mouth lined in a suspicious-looking frown, "what's the matter?"

"I... I was just wondering...how you felt about Lily when...erm, when she got into Gryffindor?"

Both eyebrows inched further up Severus's forehead, struck by her question. "Ecstatic. Thrilled. Right as rain."

Surina's mouth slumped, not at all humored by his deadpan remark. "Dad... I mean, were you...well, upset at all?"

"Upset?" he repeated, his brow furrowing further.

"Yes. Were you disappointed that she didn't get into your House?"

Severus's eyebrows came together at a severe angle. "No, of course not."

"But... Well, you - you love your House."

"That I do, just as your mother loves hers." He paused. "Just as _you_ will come to carry an affinity for your own."

"Yeah, erm, about that..." Surina started and stopped, attempting to bluff coolness but sensing that she was failing terribly. Her father simply waited for her to continue, however, neither hounding nor hurrying her along. He remained perfectly still at her side. "If I didn't get into Slytherin, would you be mad, Dad? Disappointed?"

Severus studied his lookalike child without a word. After some time had passed, he flung his magazine onto the coffee table and painstakingly eased his body into a more upright position against the couch. Whatever discomforts afflicted him were obvious by the faint wince he wore or low grunts he uttered under his breath, but eventually Severus resettled himself somewhat comfortably and turned his attention to his daughter, his expression serious.

"Have I given you or your sister the impression that being in Slytherin is important to me, Surina?" he asked her in a delicate, soft tone she hadn't anticipated.

"No! I... Well, I don't think so. I mean, you can be pretty hard to read sometimes, Dad, but I suppose I've been wondering that maybe deep down..."

Severus's confirmation to the contrary came swiftly and firmly. "No," he answered, "that isn't true. Are you afraid that I'll react badly should you not get into my House?"

Surina felt slightly foolish now for ever doubting him, as it was hard to miss the understated dismay in her father's tone of voice—at least, to her. Anyone outside of her, her siblings, and her mother wouldn't have picked up on the wizard's emotional response, but Surina knew it well and felt a sudden sense of discouragement for having misgivings.

"I guess I was afraid you might be upset," Surina sighed, giving a small shrug.

Severus's raised eyebrows stayed in place. "That's not all, is it?" he pressed, the creases on his skin harsher from the dim candle lighting. Surina and her older sister had often speculated if it really was the lighting of their surroundings that made their father appear so tired sometimes, or if he truly was as worn down as he appeared.

"Well," Surina began hesitantly, "I heard a lot of things today when we were out shopping..."

"Things?"

"Bad things. About Slytherin House."

"Ahhh." Severus heedfully brought one leg over the other in an attempt to ease the pains in his limbs. "And you now find yourself questioning whether or not you want to be in Slytherin after all?"

Surina swallowed hard at Severus's spot-on reckoning. "I don't _want_ to question it, Dad," she expressed with more urgency. "But... The war's over. It's been over for a long time now, so why are people _still_ so hard on Slytherin House? I understand it boasts a lot of inferior witches and wizards from the past but—"

"Just a moment," Severus interrupted her thought, raising one pale hand into the air. "You need to understand something about my House if you're to be a part of it, Surina. It's something you may find me reiterating to you and your peers quite often should the Sorting Hat decide Slytherin House is where you belong.

"War makes people do terrible things, Surina; things they normally _wouldn't_ do under regular, less stressful, non-life and death threatening circumstances. I won't spin it for you, my dear. You don't deserve a lie. Not all Slytherins are honorable. There are many from my House that will go down in history as unsavory and contemptable, and rightfully so."

"The Dark Lord," Surina murmured, her voice as muffled as the wind that lightly blew into the room.

Severus cast his black eyes upon her without blinking and nodded solemnly, a few stray hairs swaying across his protruding nose. "Yes..." he returned in a strained whisper. "He was most certainly someone that I'm _not_ at all proud to call one of our own. There are many, many others, I'm afraid; far more than there are from any of the other Houses."

Severus cleared his throat and spoke with more command, "That being said, there are qualities we Slytherins boast that others might find to be flawed; but that's a matter of perspective, and you need to realize that. What's important to _you_ may not be important to a Ravenclaw or, say, your sister, for example. She boasts different traits and qualities, many of which I find admirable. Again, _perspective_, my dear. My Slytherin traits don't make me a disreputable person, Surina. It doesn't make our kind any less human or indecent than Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, or Hufflepuffs. We're _different_, and that is all."

"I know you're honorable, Dad," Surina offered with a small, affectionate smile; one that gave the former spy pause as he tried to regain his train of thought.

"There are things I've done in my past that _aren't_ honorable, sweetheart," he quickly made to clear his throat again, "but that's getting us off track here. The point is, no one should judge a Slytherin by his or her cover. The same should be applied to everyone else.

"Slytherins of your generation are tainted by a past that isn't yours to redeem, and yet, we must. It's an unfortunate reality, and it isn't at all right, but it _is_ so. The aftermath of war has left the burdensome task to me and to those in my House to pick up the pieces and rebuild Slytherin's image. If you're to become a Slytherin, Surina, you'll fight the battle scars I do for far longer than your student life at Hogwarts permits. The point is not to take outside ignorant opinions to heart. They're misinformed and prejudice. Some of those comments have their rightful place in history, but they have only the past to go on, and most of those Slytherins are long gone. As a Slytherin, you'd have the opportunity to reassemble that image for yourself by what you _choose_ to become."

Severus took a deep breath, staring at his daughter through pensive eyes. "Know who you are, Surina," he insisted softly, "because I promise you that that's all that matters. Whether you're placed in Slytherin House or not is irrelevant to me, or to anyone else for that matter. It should only matter to _you_."

Surina lowered her eyes to her hands, which had somehow unknotted themselves during the course of her father's explanation. When she peered back up at him again, an encumbrance had lifted from her face, bringing an unmistakable warmth and returning self-assurance to her demeanor.

"Thanks, Dad. I needed to hear that."

Severus continued to scan her with a meditative regard. "Do you feel better now?"

"Yes, I do." Surina snorted and fiercely shook her head, a smile twisting the edges of her mouth. "I don't know why I've been feeling so...off today. Normally, I wouldn't give a damn about any of this but..." She appraised her father's weary features anew. "I suppose I needed some reassurance."

Severus swiped strands of hair away from his face. "I understand. Some of what you heard today is only a taste of what's to come. If you're placed in Slytherin, Surina, it won't be easy, but you'll have me to help you along."

Surina felt a wave of calmness finally shatter the apprehensions that lingered. She surveyed Severus for a long moment before breaking the silence.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Lily, she... I know she's disappointed that she doesn't get to see as much of you at school as she'd like, but if I _am_ placed in Slytherin, will I get to see you often?"

As normally unconcerned as his second child was, the always perceptive wizard could sense her repressed needs that underlay her question. It tugged markedly at his heart to hear such endearment from a daughter who, so often, wasn't as candidly emotional in her general sentiments, nor in her actual emotional want of having her father close by. The witch was so much like himself it was almost uncanny. Such open affections were regular trademarks of his other daughters, but not of Surina Granger Snape, and that gave him considerable pause.

Eventually, Severus cracked a fond, albeit restrained, smile for his Slytherin-like daughter—and she truly _was_ Slytherin, both Severus and Hermione knew, and far more so than she had yet realized herself. _Yes_, he considered as he studied her thoughtfully, _she'll be in Slytherin for sure._

"Of course you'll see me, muffin," he answered quietly, contented when Surina scooted closer and reached out to clasp his hand.

"Promise?" she persisted, wishing to be assuaged.

Severus nodded, his delicate smile extending further. "I promise."

"Even if I'm not in Slytherin?"

"You and Lily will see plenty of me, regardless of what House the Sorting Hat chooses." Severus shrugged. "Where exactly am I going to disappear to?"

Surina snickered, her spirits lifting. "Nowhere. I just want to be sure is all."

Severus's breath caught at the back of his throat, though Surina couldn't detect his understated reservations. Unbeknownst to her or her siblings, there really _wasn't_ any telling how much time Severus had left with his children, and it was something neither he, nor Hermione, could bring themselves to think on too often. In intimate moments such as these, however, the subject somehow managed to creep to the surface, despite Severus's efforts to keep it well concealed in his heart.

Could his children, so keenly observant already, sense that time was running out? Could they perceive how much time spent with them truly meant to him, and how more special it was growing by the day as his body weakened?

_No, Severus... Don't. Not until it's absolutely necessary, remember?_

Forcing such difficult thoughts to the back of his mind, Severus squeezed Surina's hand. "Well, I'll be around," he determined convincingly. "Regardless of what House you end up in, sweetheart, you're _always_ welcome to come see me."

Surina's face brightened at that invitation. "I will! You _know_ I'll come bother you, Dad."

At first, Severus chortled and simulated dramatic exasperation, but his daughter wasn't fooled. It was one of those selective insights into his extremely private person that his children were always aware of: his strong regard for each of them.

He compressed her hand a second time, the motion swift, yet affecting. "Please do," he encouraged in a deep purr that was slightly more earnest than Surina was used to hearing.

She projected a softer smile for him; a rarity for her. "I will, Dad. I promise."

The young witch leaned over with her arms outstretched to hug Severus around the neck and he gratefully accepted her loving embrace, pulling her to his chest and then releasing his firm hold. As Surina reared back, looking far better and more like herself then when she'd entered, her striking grin spread across her cheeks in appreciation of the discussion they had had, one that only two Slytherins could truly share and understand.

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, sweetheart." The dour wizard—to the outside world—bent forward to gently peck Surina's forehead. "Sleep well."

Surina hopped up from the couch and strut out of the room, her long, straight hair swinging back and forth behind her as she disappeared from view. Severus watched her go in his quietly observant manner, smirking at his soon-to-be triumphant prediction.

_Yes. Most definitely a Slytherin._

* * *

**A/N #2: I hope the conversation was satisfying? Personally, I have a tough time believing Slytherin House would be warmly accepted after the war, even in the glowing aftermath of a Potter Wizarding world; but I'd like to think our Severus could've done something about it, little by little. :) **

**Please review! I'd _greatly_ appreciate knowing from as many of you as I can how I'm doing with these one-shots, most of which have been your requests thus far. Thank you! **


	9. The Before and After

**A/N: ****I've had this written for some time, I just couldn't get myself to edit it until recently. I do hope there are some who are still interested in these one-shots.  
**

**Warning: This one-shot is rated M for sexual content. **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**The Before and After**

_A morning in the life of Severus and Hermione, pre and post the birth of three (out of four) children._

_(Prompt from **FanFiclver**, who asked for a one-shot as outlined above.)_

* * *

Severus's eye slipped halfway open, soaking in the sight of nothing but thick, softly textured curls that tickled his nose and what little of his face was exposed above the warm sheets. It was an amusing sight he routinely awoke to, which then led to a slow, dream-filled sigh of satisfaction. Peace and quiet met his ears, the stillness of the early morn and the steady breathing of the witch at his side easily easing him back to sleep, but not before he strained to open both eyes.

All was well and as it should be, judging by his quick check of the room, and Severus cast both eyes shut again and burrowed his face further into Hermione's locks. Her scent was calming and it wasn't long before Severus settled into the steady rhythm of sleep once more, his limbs loosely entangled with hers.

The whiff of heated breathing on the nape of her neck caused Hermione to stir from sleep, though Severus didn't so much as flinch. She re-cozied her back against his expanding and contracting chest, her dainty fingers winding around Severus's own that lay slack against her pillow case.

Although hardly awake, and not willing to open her eyes just yet, Hermione let her other senses discern what awaited her once she did so. The comfortable silence of daybreak reached her alerted ears. She could literally smell Spring dawns like this morning's, when the crisp dew penetrated through the bedroom window, leaving her feeling both freshened and renewed.

The comforting body heat of a certain wizard pressed up against her, too, with his arm draped over her waist, his long fingers coiled through hers and his breathing wafting her skin made Hermione's mouth bend into a pacifying smile. She may not have been looking at him, but she could feel his warming presence behind her. Every inch of him.

_Good morning, Severus_, she smirked into her pillow.

Normally, it was the man's unshakable snoring that drew her out of sleep; or lulled her into a slumber, depending upon her mood. Today, there were no such sounds, which told the Gryffindor that either her husband was already awake and feigning sleep or on the verge of resuming such resoundingly heavy breathing. Regardless, she was content to stay right where she was.

Sightlessly moving his intertwined hand to her lips, Hermione affectionately kissed the inside of his palm and felt him rouse from behind, inhaling her scent deeply before shifting more of his weight against her back. His outer leg stretched itself over top of her hip, and he muttered something that seemed to be on the edge of his lips but hadn't quite made its way out properly, causing Hermione's smile to stretch.

After giving him a moment, Hermione rolled her head sideways to greet him tenderly. "Good morning," she whispered, giggling at having to brush several of her furious curls away from Severus's slackened face, which seemed to have somehow gotten engulfed by the maddening strands of hair.

"Mmm," he merely grunted in return, his eyelashes fluttering but otherwise remaining firmly shut.

Hermione stretched her neck for a kiss, her lips lingering on his before reluctantly pulling away, though her nose continued to nuzzle the long length of his own. Severus remained remarkably poised, his face sluggish and relaxed, though he did press an arm into her abdomen, tucking her buttocks more securely against his person, as well as the morning erection that unabashedly caressed her sex.

"Rise and shine's probably more appropriate right now," she teased lightly, her faint laughter making his face tingle on account of how close she was.

Severus pried open an eyelid and proceeded to hiss at her, which only made her tittering noisier, the high-pitched sound assaulting his eardrums and disrupting his quietude. Not that Severus truly minded it at all, nor her assault upon his sleep. He'd readily wake every morning to the welcoming sight of Hermione's infectious smile, as well the sound of her whimsical laughter, for as long as time afforded him such a luxury.

"Is that a complaint or an invitation, witch?" he retorted in a low purr, his eyes turning into near slits.

Hermione visibly shuddered in his arms, her smile no longer soft but sensual. "What do _you_ suppose it is, Mister?" she bated and bit her lower lip, trying to keep her giggles under control. "Perhaps you'll need to let me roll over top of you to know for sure..."

Severus's eyes flickered encouragingly, triggered by her suggestion. "If you must," he growled, trying to sound disgruntled; but Hermione knew better.

"'If I must,'" she snickered mockingly with a toss of her head. She scooted around to face him before carefully easing her way on top of his bare chest, leaving a trail of kisses in her stead as she straddled his lap.

Severus smirked into her mass of rumpled, frizzy curls as she moved her head upward to find his mouth, locking her lips on his eagerly. An arm rubbed its way behind his neck to lovingly cradle his head, whilst one of his own large, boney hands snatched a first full of Hermione's tousled mop, pressing her mouth into his to intensify the exchange.

Merlin, how he delighted in lazy, pleasant, sex-filled wake ups like these, as did the delectable, affectionate witch presently mounting him. Both were very much prone to a morning romp before starting their day, so much so that the once solitary Slytherin sometimes couldn't fathom how he'd managed so many years without waking up to a beautiful woman and a gratifying shag or two. It was the perfect start to the day.

Then again, he remembered those former miserable mornings all too well, when he'd too often resorted to employing his own hand to relieve himself and appease the wretched isolation and misery that had once been his life. It got the job done, but his own touch was hardly fulfilling. No, not at all.

_Hermione's touch, on the other hand..._

That fiery witch of his could discharge all his pent up sexual frustrations like no other. He knew why that was, of course: the deeply held, emotional tie between them. _Love. _ She was the only woman who could satisfy him now. No one else would come remotely close to _this_—to Hermione's exceedingly soft and gentle hands, to her warm, arousing caresses, to her lithe body morphing perfectly with his, rocking in a superlative rhythm with his own. Her pulsating thrusts, her mouth, her everything made him see stars and hiss towards the high heavens.

No, there was no one like his Hermione.

Soon, Severus felt the electrifying rush of his erection being snugly encased in his wife's canal. She gasped loudly, and the feel of being inside her nearly brought him over the edge right away. He bit back a hiss to keep himself from reacting too soon. Being barely coherent caused them both to react quicker, and neither was willing to let this go too fast. What was the rush? They had no commitments except to each other this morning.

Slowly but surely, Hermione began to dip and sway her curvaceous figure, the sight of which held his undivided attention, with exception of how divine it felt to move inside her. It was enough to make him meet her every thrust, both aroused by the amazing friction they created together. Severus's fingers clasped themselves around Hermione's plunging hips, digging lightly into her skin as they moaned and sighed complacently.

Little did Severus mind being the submissive of the two as they made unhurried, steady love to the unwanted discovery of no one. In the comforts of their own home, there were no intruders to encroach on their space, no aggravating dunderheads to chance a view of the wedded couple in the throes of ecstasy, with Severus arching his back as Hermione hungrily quickened the pace, her cries growing ever more urgent as she neared climax. Severus didn't give a damn, so long as she came and clenched around his throbbing length, sending him into a state of his own bliss.

It didn't take long for Hermione to throw back her frizzy head, her hands desperately strapped around his that clung to her hips as she came with a hard thrust, and Severus shortly met her orgasm with a careworn cry of defeat. With both of their bodies continuing to pulse excitedly, their breathing heavy and excited, Hermione collapsed on top of her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding herself to him whilst cushioning him to the bed at the same time.

"Merlin..." she moaned. "That was..."

"Bloody fantastic," he echoed, something his wife was prone to expressing when they were through.

Hermione giggled into his ear and nestled his neck with a kiss. She sighed contentedly, as did Severus, and didn't move for a time. After all, there was no rush.

Drowsy, and with their bodies well fed, Hermione and Severus soon drifted back off to sleep, Hermione still splayed out on top of her wizard's chest. There were still another couple of hours to kill before the couple needed to start their day, and a morning of sex and sleep was gladly taken whilst it lasted.

* * *

"Severus?" a voice muttered, cutting into his conscience and dragging him away from the pleasurable dream he was in the midst of savoring. A breathy giggle whiffed at his fluttering eyelashes. "You need to get that under control, love. The girls are coming downstairs."

"Mmm, what?" he grumbled incoherently.

Severus suppressed a yawn into Hermione's shoulder before, in a split second, it dawned on him what his wife was referring to. The pounding sound of a herd of feet—_More like a herd of elephants_, his mind snarled—could be heard tromping down the staircase, followed by shrills of laughter and squealing. Instantly, Severus's eyes shot open at their impending presence.

"Shit," he cursed, scrambling to pull all of the covers that were strewn down near his waist up to his neck.

_As if_ that _will do much of anything!_ he fleeting thought through a sneer, his foul mood partially thanks to Hermione's incessant guffawing at his expense.

Suddenly, three toddlers came bursting through the bedroom door, their screeching reverberating off of the walls. Evidently, a game of chase was in play, though it seemed to have shifted from each other to who could reach their parents first. Lily, Surina, and Hailey, each dressed in nightgowns, converged on Hermione's and Severus's bed, trying to out-leap one another as they jumped with all the force their small legs would allow.

Hermione joined in on the playfulness of it all and took Lily into her arms, who had crawled to her side of the bed, but Severus fell back onto his pillows with a soft groan. The children didn't seem to hear, however, for Surina continued to pounce on the bed and Hailey crept over to the still Slytherin, grinning broadly and giggling into his face.

"Mummy! Daddy!"

"MORNING!"

"GET UP!"

"Hi, Mummy!"

"Daddy, time to get up!"

"Up! _UP!_"

"I wanna play!"

"Merlin, must you buggers be so loud?" he sputtered, which only seemed to goad the children's laughter. Severus pinched his eyes shut and hauled the blankets up to cover most of his face.

"It's morning, Daddy!" Hailey squeaked, tugging lightly at the covers to draw them unsuccessfully away, thinking it was all a game.

"I noticed," Severus mumbled. He opened his eyes to squint at each of his daughters through the gentle sunlight that seeped in through their bedroom window. "No need to announce it, you little toe rags."

"Daddy's grumpy this morning!" Surina cackled, finally collapsing on the bed with a great thud and panting from all of her jumping.

"Yes, he is," Hermione concurred, shooting her husband a wry smile.

Severus groused something under his breath and propped himself up on his elbows. His efforts to effectively sit upright were complicated by a two-year-old, bushy-haired Hailey, who catapulted onto her father's lap, earning a jolting hiss from Severus. "_Umf!_" he grunted, hurriedly scooting the little tot onto his chest. He was promptly overtaken by a fierce hug around the neck.

Surina moved in as well, tackling Severus's legs first before crawling her way onto his lap as well, entirely oblivious to Severus's compromising state. The girls roared with laughter as he squirmed to free himself. Even Lily joined in from her perch in her mother's arms.

"_Agh!_" Severus rasped, his face entirely buried behind two of his children's faces. "Wait a minute! Surina, no—"

"All right, all right!" Hermione snickered, unable to bite back her laughter. She reached out to tug on Surina's nightgown in an attempt to pull her off of Severus, but the determined little witch wouldn't budge. "Give Daddy room to breathe, please!"

With that carefree command, Surina was suddenly propelled backward, landing in the middle of the bed with a light thump. She squealed happily at her father tossing her into the air. Hailey was given the same treatment, which finally allowed the wizard to sit up properly.

"Again, Daddy! Again!" both girls shrieked, crawling back towards him and tugging at his arms to play. "_Again, Daddy!_"

With a quiet smirk, Severus did as the girls commanded for several more rounds before Hermione put a stop to the ruckus. "Enough, you two," she insisted, giving each a stern eye when they proceeded to whine in protest. "I need you both to calm down."

"Not a chance," Severus quipped under his breath, quietly allowing Surina to crawl into his arms and lay her head lazily underneath his chin.

Hailey scooted in between her parents, her gaze turning from one to the other with a 'What are we going to do today?' wonder in her expression. Hermione met her youngest's gaze with a soft smile. When she peered over at Severus and Surina, the dark wizard was murmuring something to the equally dark-haired child, who nodded compliantly and brought her arms around him, or as much as her petite limbs could, allowing the wizard to wrap her snug against his chest.

"Not the sort of morning we used to have, is it?" Hermione whispered thoughtfully.

Severus's eyes locked on hers for a moment. Then they surveyed the rest of his family with care, landing lastly upon Hailey, who had curled up against his arm. She craned her neck to look up at him, her brown eyes alert and excited.

"No," Severus returned gently, projecting a small smile for the adorable toddler, "but I daresay these little buggers are worth less sleep."

_And less regular sex_, his mind concurred.

"Yes, they are," Hermione whispered happily.

Still peering down at his littlest, Severus's face tightened in mocked annoyance. "Well, _most_ of the time."

Hailey didn't understand what her father meant by that, but she understood the subtly teasing tone in her father's voice. She started tittering and fought her way underneath his arm, wanting to be hugged and secured. Severus returned Hermione's thoughtful gaze, each expressing silently that this moment was about as peaceful and unrushed as their day was going to be.

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**A/N #2: Very short, I know, but, if you haven't seen my Profile, I'm really struggling to write right now. Reviews are encouraging, though. Thank you.  
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	10. Home

**A/N: Hopefully this longer (steamier!) one-shot makes up for the last one, which was considerably shorter. ;) Also, for those interested, I've started posting another multichapter SSHG ficlet that has several chapters up already to read. Feel free to check it out and let me know your thoughts!  
**

**Warning: This one-shot is rated M for sexual content. **

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

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**Home**

_Severus and Hermione move into their new home in the English countryside following their honeymoon._

_(Prompt from **gwendlyn**, who asked for this move-in one-shot, and **Sexysloth**, who asked for a one-shot involving more details about the Snape family home. This piece took me in a few unexpected directions, but I hope you like it.)_

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Hermione took a moment to gather her bearings. Feeling Severus's hand still linked through hers helped settle her balance, as well as her stomach. Side-Along Apparition—well, Apparition in general—had never been her strong suit and normally left her lightheaded for a minute or two following resettling against gravity. At least she wasn't as affected by such Wizarding transportation as Harry, though.

Once her vision was no longer blurry, a clear view of a cottage-style home came into focus, immediately catching Hermione's eye. The yellow stone made it feel worn and old, as if it had held a number of previous occupants, but that was hardly the case. It was brand new, and it was hers and Severus's new home. A place they could call their very own.

_New husband, new house_, she reflected with a soft smile as she and Severus made their way up the grassy hill.

It had been Severus who spotted the location for their new place of residence, which was comfortably nestled against the backdrop of woodlands at the edge of a rolling hillside. Both had a fondness for the Cotswolds, and getting to reside here was a lifelong dream Hermione never expected to become her reality. It was thrilling to be a homeowner at last, although she and Severus hadn't had much time to ponder this fresh responsibility. For the past several weeks, their minds had been preoccupied with a wedding and an extensive honeymoon that involved a considerable amount of traveling all around Europe.

Hermione couldn't be happier to be home at last. _Home_, she pondered, staring at the finished house in anticipation and awe.

The house was near the finishing stages when she and Severus had awayed for several weeks of wedded bliss, and now she would finally have the opportunity to step inside her countryside home for the first time since its completion. There would still be plenty to do, of course, before fully settling in. Harry and the Weasleys—mainly Arthur and Molly—had insisted upon taking care of moving the remainder of their belongings during their absence, and now lots of unpacking and setting up house awaited their return. As tired as Hermione was, and she knew Severus was feeling the weariness of so much traveling as well, she was excited at the prospects that awaited them inside.

"I see Molly has taken the liberty of landscaping," her husband pointed out with an unenthusiastic growl, directing her attention to a series of rose bushes that had been planted in front and had been magically expanded to the size of Quaffles.

Slabs of stone directed them to the front door—a deep crimson shade—and, aside from the rose bushes themselves, the many tall oak trees, with the exception at the front of the house, framed the landscape around them nicely. Hermione smirked at the rose bushes. It was only typical that a Weasley would leave their mark in some way, shape, or form.

_I'm sure Severus will be pulling those out and replacing them in no time._

When they reached the front door, they paused for Severus to extract a key from inside his robes. He held it out to Hermione.

"Care to do the honors?"

Hermione couldn't help but squeal. "Yes!" she exclaimed excitedly, clapping her hands together. She snatched the key from his hand, turned the lock, and stepped inside the entryway ahead of her husband, who was looking on, thoroughly amused.

Unfortunately, it was, at first, difficult to get a handle on the features of their new house due to the many boxes piled high and scattered throughout the rooms, each properly labeled with Hermione's handwriting as to where they belonged. Hermione nearly collided with a couple boxes directly in front of her and grudgingly scooted around them to get a better look, followed closely by Severus, who cursed under his breath at the various boxes blocking their path.

Hermione's sight was met with several possibilities: a long entryway that led straight ahead to another adjacent hallway, double doors to her right that led to a room Severus and she were considering turning into a future library, and another room on her left that was to be their sitting room. Hermione inhaled the freshly painted smell that infiltrated her senses and smiled warmly.

The entire downstairs, with the exception of the kitchen, was hardwood flooring that caught the light from the windows beautifully. The white crown moldings were additional touches Hermione was pleased that they had added wherever their budget allowed. No magic had been conjured to give them what they wanted in this house. Those markings would come later, but both preferred a solid foundation rather than a home conjured out of thin air. It felt grounded, solid, _real._

A small but pretty crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling in the entryway, which Hermione took a moment to admire. It wouldn't be a fancy home like the Malfoys or other more luxurious households in the Wizarding community—she and Severus weren't exactly the type to show off what little they had—but the home would be snug, quaint, and the perfect size for the pair of them.

_The perfect size to start a family_, Hermione thought cheerfully.

Certain elegant features, like the chandelier and personal finishings, spruced the place up a bit. Taking it all in was absorbing and left Hermione eager to see more. With her excitement mounting, Hermione headed for the sitting room first, where her eyes were distracted by the many more boxes that filled the otherwise empty space. The only piece of furniture was a worn, green sofa she recognized from its' previous occupancy at Spinner's End. It was an antique that had been in Severus's family for ages, and, although he was more than content to part ways with what he called a "ruddy piece of junk," Hermione felt it worth holding on to, mainly to refurbish and restore it to its former glory, preferably without magic. It would make for a longer-lasting piece, as would any upgrades to the rest of the house, even if wards were in place to prevent Muggles from seeing the Snapes' home. The sofa wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it would do for now.

Hermione sighed happily, too distracted by all the excitement to pay attention to Severus's hushed griping about "too many damned boxes" as he tried to cast them aside with his wand to give them some proper walking space. Hermione's eyes scanned the confined but pleasant-looking sitting room. A large brick fireplace lined the opposite wall, a large bay window that overlooked the remarkable view of the rolling countryside was to her left, and to her right, directly ahead, was an open archway that led across the adjacent narrow hallway to the kitchen. She could only partially make it out from this spot but was eager to see the rest.

After dividing the boxes to his satisfaction, Severus plopped himself down on the couch, wincing at the uncomfortable springs that met his lower back. He didn't trail after his wife, however, who dropped her beaded bag, filled with both of their belongings from their honeymoon, and hurried into the kitchen. Severus smirked at her short legs as they scurried away out of sight. Soon, her overzealous squealing echoed from across the hall and reached his ears.

"Oh, the kitchen came out perfectly, Severus! The splash tile is lovely! Oh, and the extra little fireplace we have in here! Severus, you _must_ come see this! Look at this Muggle oven, _it's enormous!_"

Hermione couldn't contain the grin that spread from ear to ear across her face. She was no gourmet cook—_yet_—but she couldn't wait to start utilizing this kitchen that was now her own. It was the only room in the house that had been painted prior to their moving in. A pale yellow paint covered the walls (a choice that had carried over from how Severus had painted his kitchen at Spinner's End), and the color scheme balanced nicely against wooden, vintage-style cabinetry that was contained along the far wall and to the right of the hearth. A glass window hovered over dark granite countertops and presented a picturesque view of the backyard. A fridge and a little nook for a desk on the opposite wall made up the rest of the rather condensed kitchen, but, to Hermione, it was perfectly cozy. There was still enough room for a large table and chairs—one of many purchases Hermione was looking forward to making with Severus, even if she had to drag him along to pick out their furnishings. No matter how much he may grumble about shopping for their new home, Hermione knew he'd take secret enjoyment in having a say, if only to indulge _her._

_Speaking of Severus..._

Hermione drew back into the hallway, staring across the kitchen to her dark wizard still seated on the sofa and staring into the fireplace. A fire was now crackling, and Severus's form had gone slack against the sofa with his head thrown back.

"Severus? Don't you want to come take a look?"

"In a moment," he replied quietly.

Hermione knew that weary tone of voice all too well and strolled back into the sitting room, feeling the immediate warmth from the fireplace heating the place up. Not that it needed to be running—it was July, after all, and considerably warm—but Severus was nearly always cold, and she'd grown rather accustomed to a hearth burning most of the time wherever they went. Luckily, it wasn't too stifling.

Feeling a bit knackered herself, Hermione slumped carefully onto the sofa beside Severus and scooted closer, draping a leg over his thigh and an arm around his torso. "Tired?" she murmured against his chest after they both stared into the fire for a time, Hermione taking enjoyment in the familiar boney fingers that had begun massaging the back of her head. If she were any more relaxed, she would probably purr like Crookshanks. She was looking forward to retrieving her familiar from Harry and Ginny, who'd been taking care of her—_their_—feisty half-Keazle during their honeymoon.

"A little," Severus returned her question softly, nuzzling his nose into clumps of her pleasantly scented curls.

"There's so much unpacking to do," Hermione reminded him with a burdensome sigh, her enthusiasm from earlier waning.

"Mmm." Severus's hand finished rubbing her head and drooped itself over her shoulder. "You were all excited to unpack not too long ago. What happened?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered, her lips curling into a smile, "but I'm rather comfortable laying right here for a while."

Severus snorted, which awakened her a little from her sleep-induced state. "This couch is bloody uncomfortable. Why are we keeping this wretched piece of junk?"

"Because it was in your family, Severus. We can restore it."

"_We?_"

"Ugh, fine,_ I_ will restore it."

"That sounds better." He paused. "How about now?"

Hermione couldn't see his face but suspected that his eyes were closed. His entire body had gone limp in her arms, his breathing was even and steady, and his words were slurring—most definite signs that he was on the verge of falling asleep.

"Now you're just being a nag. Be quiet, would you?"

Severus growled unabrasively and shifted carefully beneath her, but Hermione shut her eyes and tightened her hold around him to keep him in place; not that he had any plans of going anywhere, although he did wish to at least lay down flat on his back. He brought his legs up onto the sofa and, holding onto Hermione, eased her into laying directly on top of him. Hermione made no complaints and snuggled into her wizard, nuzzling her face against his chest.

They probably could have transfigured the stiff sofa into something more comfortable for the time being, but Hermione was suddenly too tired to put forth the effort of extracting her wand from her back pocket, and it would appear that Severus was too spent as well to be bothered. Within minutes, the newlyweds were fast asleep, dozing contentedly in one another's arms.

Around six o'clock, Hermione was the first to stir and moaned quietly when she made to raise her head. _Merlin, Severus was right. This couch is bloody unbearable._ She forced open an eye to find Severus still fast asleep; or, if he wasn't, he was doing a decent job of acting the part.

A sly smile crept across Hermione's lips, her eyes, though still tired, admittedly fascinated in watching him doze. None of his senses were heightened as they normally were when he was awake and alert; they had been so for so long during the two wars that studying Severus's face in such a tranquil state was, to Hermione, not only comforting but spellbinding. She allowed herself several minutes to observe quietly, her mind eventually wandering to their conversation in Vienna the previous night, the last eve of their honeymoon.

_"I want to have a child, Hermione. Despite everything, despite my fears, one day I would very much like us to start a family. If I'm not in a condition where it would be too much of an emotional risk, than I would... I would like to have a child... _With you._"_

Hermione pressed a hand to her mouth, suppressing the smile that was building. So much painstaking efforts had led to that pivotal decision in their relationship, with countless talks, bickering, and hammering out the issue. There was a time Severus had been dead set against the idea, and not because he despised children—something Hermione would _never _have believed as a first through sixth year—but because he didn't think he'd make a good father. "Rubbish!" she'd chastise him repeatedly, hoping it would soon be engraved into his head.

There was also the very harsh reality, however, that Severus's health problems were a justified detrimental concern. If he never fully recovered from what his body daily struggled to control, then there could be no hope for a family in their future. Still, Severus had managed to take that giant leap of faith only yesterday, and Hermione was still on quite a high from hearing those words at last, even if they were slightly dampened by the circumstances surrounding his decision.

Severus hadn't been feeling well towards the end of their trip and, evidently, surveying him now, he wasn't looking much better. Hermione tried not to focus on his whiter complexion and the purple circles under his eyes. He'd looked better, but he'd also looked far worse.

Hermione snuggled into the warmth of Severus's loose embrace, determined to focus on the positives. Then the recognition of the now sweltering heat in the room drew Hermione out of falling back asleep. With an annoyed groan, Hermione extracted her wand from her back pocket, put out the fire, and opened the window to let in the gentle, evening breeze.

Carefully, Hermione tucked her wand away and brought a dainty hand to Severus's cheek. With a softer smile, she traced the outline of his long, hooked nose with her index finger and was surprised when Severus's eyelashes didn't so much as flutter; but then his voice broke the stillness and nearly sent her shooting into an upright position. His eyes remained firmly shut.

"What on earth are you doing?" he groggily muttered, sending her into fits of suppressed laughter once she'd recovered from her start.

"Trying to coax you awake!"

"Well, it worked," he grumbled, rolling himself into the back of the couch, thereby smashing Hermione against him so that she was trapped between her husband and the back of the sofa. He ignored her continued giggling, as well as the persistent tugging at his chest.

"Severus! Umf, c'mon. Damn it, Mister, you're squishing me!"

"How unfortunate," he deadpanned, not budging an inch.

"Let me up!"

"Quit fidgeting, you nuisance."

"_You're_ the one who has me pinned to the sofa!"

"Just relax and go back to sleep," he insisted, keeping his eyes shut.

Hermione was admittedly not all _that_ uncomfortable. Severus's body heat, and being tucked well against him, was enough to lull her back to sleep, except for the fact that she literally couldn't move any inch of her body. Her arms continued to push unsuccessfully against Severus's chest.

"C'mon, you, it's time to unpack. And I'm starving."

"What time is it?" he mumbled into her hair, all but ignoring her efforts to break free.

"No idea, but I'll never be able to find out unless you _move!_"

Severus hissed and pinched his face, slightly miffed. "Very well, witch."

As he made to roll away from her and sit up, however, a shot of pain forced another disgruntled comment from his mouth. Hermione, too, winced as she carefully sat up.

"We never should've fallen asleep on this couch," she chuckled, stretching her legs as Severus hauled his over the side with a suffering look marring his face.

"We should just bloody well get rid of it."

Hermione blew off his complaint with a smirk and a roll of her eyes, rising to her feet and scooping Severus's hand into hers. "Knowing Molly, she's probably left us plenty of food. C'mon, you. Up. We got a long night ahead of us."

Severus let out an unenthusiastic sigh but gingerly stumbled to his feet, grateful when Hermione didn't say anything. She led them both into the kitchen, where he was finally able to take in the finished space, showcasing a favorable first impression as his eyes scanned the room. It had turned out as satisfactory as he'd anticipated, and, sure enough, several cabinets, as well as the fridge, had been stocked to the brim with food, some of which had been brought from Spinner's End but mostly provided by an all-too-eager-to-feed Molly Weasley.

"We'll have to send a big thank you to her for all of this," Hermione insisted after thoroughly looking through it all.

Once dinner was underway, permeating their new kitchen with the mouth-watering aroma of roast pork with apple sauce and pease pudding, Hermione popped her head round from inside the fridge, holding a bottle of wine with a ribbon tied around its handle.

"Oh, look at this!" she offered with a wide grin. "Neville and Luna left us a bottle of white wine! How thoughtful!"

Severus arched an eyebrow as he stirred several pans that were going simultaneously on the stove, foregoing using his wand in place of Muggle-style cooking. "What kind?" he inquired with unhidden curiosity.

"Rueda. El Quintanal Blanco."

It may not have shown on his face, but Severus was affected by the gesture. Sure, they were Hermione's friends, after all, not his. Despite Longbottom's brave stance at the final battle, it hadn't stopped him from continuing to behave like a blubbering idiot in the Slytherin's presence; but it was a thoughtful gesture, nonetheless, particularly for a one-time boy who had been so terrified of Severus that he made him the subject of his blasted Boggart. Severus often mused whether he was _still _the now grown man's greatest fear in the Wizarding universe or if he'd managed to be knocked from first place.

Supper without a table and chairs meant either sitting on the wretched sofa again, something Severus wasn't keen on, opting for the hard floors instead, or transfiguration. Hermione giggled at the pair of them sitting Indian style with their glasses of wine in the middle of their sitting room, but it was all rather good fun. She'd suggested transfiguring a table, but Severus had already defiantly perched himself in front of the fireplace, so Hermione happily made do alongside him.

Once they'd gotten some proper nutrients, they began tackling the first floor boxes in the sitting room, kitchen and future library, though the latter mainly consisted of stock piling their massive book collection in row after endless row in the middle of the room. They'd organize it better once they decided how best to utilize the space.

Next, Hermione aided Severus in setting up his Potions laboratory in the basement, the stairs of which could be accessed at the far end of the long hallway on the right side of the house, parallel to another door on the opposite wall that provided access to the back patio and yard. Hermione didn't do too much organizing of Severus's lab, however, knowing full well how particular the Potions Master was about his ingredients and the manner in which items were stored. She didn't like either that Severus had chosen to keep his Pensieve, along with an extensive amount of unhappy memories, tucked away in a corner where she couldn't readily keep an eye on him accessing it whenever he chose. She was privy to the misery and horrors of the days that lay behind him, and how much some of those moments haunted and plagued him still. She made a mental note to argue about it another day.

Unpacking went faster with the handy use of wand waving, but it was still a time-consuming process. By the time they started on the bedroom, located on the left side of the house at the opposite end of the hallway, both were knackered and ready to call it a night, but not before they got the essentials of their room in order. Hermione loved the expansiveness of their master bedroom, which included a fireplace on the right wall near where the bed would be placed (in the center along the far wall), as well as a large window that let in plenty of natural light and a great view of the woodlands beyond their house. Against the left wall was a door that led to the master loo. It boasted a standing shower, a separate claw-foot, free-standing tub, and his and hers sinks with black countertops and white cabinetry.

"I could climb into this right now," Hermione purred, taking a moment to step inside the deep-seated tub and lay down, fully clothed.

Severus eyed her encouragingly as he quietly setup his sink on the left-hand side. He'd removed his cravat and frock coat some time ago but was still, otherwise, mostly dressed. His sleeves were rolled up as he made to wash his hands. Gazing over at Hermione, her curly head was barely visible from his viewpoint.

"You look like you could drown in that thing if you aren't careful," he teased, a small smirk lining his mouth.

Hermione craned her neck to laugh at him. "Probably. I'm so glad we found this, aren't you?"

"Indeed."

"Care to join me?"

Severus turned his head to find a wry smile planted across Hermione's face. She had also stood up, stepped out of the tub, and was beginning to undress herself in front of him. She paused to turn the water on and fill the tub with soap suds, using her wand to make the process faster. Severus crossed his arms and leaned into the sink, watching his wife as each piece of clothing fell one by one—firstly, her jeans, which presented him with a pleasant view of her legs and bare feet, then her grimy t-shirt and tank top underneath, leaving only her bra and knickers in place. Slowly, she unlatched her bra, letting it drop to the floor, and slipped her knickers off. She tauntingly kicked them towards the attentive, dark wizard watching her every move, and they landed at the toe of his boot.

Shooting him a seductive smile, Hermione gave him a complete view of her naked form and, checking that he was still watching her over her shoulder, she stepped into the tub again and immersed herself in the scorching, scented water, dunking her head underneath before her body went slack in the water with a pleased sigh. She closed her eyes momentarily before reopening them and locking her gaze on her husband, who was still smirking at her from across the loo.

Silently, Severus uncoiled his arms and made to exit, tugging to undo his sleeves when Hermione called out to him. "No," she said, reaching an arm over the tub to point to where she remained. "In here."

Severus gave her a stern frown. "I have no interest in getting my trousers wet and wrinkled."

_That _made Hermione bust up laughing. "Oh, for goodness' sake, Severus! I don't intend to splash you. _In here, Mister._ I expect the same luxury of watching my husband undress." She added as an afterthought, and on account of the austere form of his mouth, "If you please."

"Merlin, you're a bother today, you know that?" he snarled, but there was no malice to his tone as he stepped back into the loo.

Hermione playfully stuck out her tongue. "That's what I'm _supposed_ to do to you, love. Bother, bother, bother."

Giving her a steely regard, Severus's sharp eyes pinned her to the tub as he began to undo his dress shirt. The expression he wore might have been hard, but Hermione knew he wasn't as troubled as he led on. She leaned forward and placed her elbows over the side of the bath, chin on her arms, and boring a triumphant, affectionate smile for him. She enjoyed watching him undo those buttons, whether it was his coat or his dress shirt. It didn't matter. It was always so seamlessly and gracefully done, as were most of his everyday mannerisms that Severus didn't pay attention to, but she sure as hell noticed.

As he removed each item of clothing, Severus folded them individually and placed them on the sink, lastly removing his trousers, which left him in nothing save for his briefs. He slipped those off, too, and Hermione took a quiet moment to acknowledge how truly unguarded and open the man had become around her. There was a time when he'd hesitated to show any hint of bare skin, let alone all of himself. There was none of that heart-wrenching, curtain of hair falling around his face to mask the humiliation; no lowering of the eyes to hide his buried insecurities about his body. In moments like these, Hermione couldn't help marveling at how absolved they'd grown together as a couple.

Unaware of her deeper reflections, Severus cast her clothing into a neat pile next to his, which Hermione couldn't help but giggle over—the man was truly neurotic, but she adored it—and stepped into the tub, heaving himself cautiously into the hot water with his long arms draped over either side. He eased himself back and stretched his legs as Hermione wiggled her limbs to make room, her feet finding eventual purchase on his chest, whilst his own straddled her hips.

"Now I know why you wanted me to get in here with you, witch," he accused with a glint in his black eyes. His warm hands encased themselves around her feet, "So that I could give you one of these."

Strong fingers began kneading the bottoms of her feet, and Hermione couldn't think of a comeback. Merlin, she didn't even care. Such massaging felt absolutely divine after so much time spent walking the past several weeks. Hermione easily succumbed to the wizard's working over her as he so wished, unknotting every kink and sore spot in her feet, and closed her eyes to savor such much-desired pampering.

"That's...fantastic..." she murmured after some time, completely absorbed in his practice.

After a while, she reluctantly opened her eyes when she heard him yawn. His head had drifted sideways and his eyes had closed as he continued rubbing her feet, exercising less pressure than before.

Hermione smirked and slid her feet free of his grasp. She propped herself forward and, with some difficulty, resituated herself by straddling Severus's lap. He didn't issue a complaint when soft, wet lips began trailing along his neck, kissing and licking their way up to his chin and then to his mouth to claim it passionately. Hermione's hands came to rest on the rim of the tub, draped on either side of Severus's head, and she proceeded to snog him thoughtfully at first, sampling and taking her time. She could feel Severus's hands cupping each of her buttocks, cradling her snug against his warm body. The intensity between them grew, and, soon, her dependable husband's erection was rubbing against her sex, taunting to be mounted.

By then, Hermione was more than a tad eager to be appeased of her maddening needs, wanting to feel Severus fill and stretch her to capacity, desperate for friction and for each sensitive nerve inside her to be sparked in rapid succession. She mounted him in haste, making his entrance more forceful than usual, and both let out audible gasps as her sheath met his base. She quickly began to ride him, clutching the tub as her body dipped and curved to the fierce rhythm she set in motion for both of them.

Severus's eyes by now had reopened and were intently focused on the magnetic witch riding him senseless. She was the equivalent to a goddess, every inch of her curvaceous figure alluring and inviting. His mouth latched onto one of her hardened nipples to suck and stimulate with his tongue. Hermione groaned with want and drove into him harder still, bending her neck to breathe heatedly against his forehead.

The water lapped and splashed at their skin as Hermione quickened the pace, plunging deeper and deeper. Between Severus's throbbing shaft hitting every nerve-ending inside her and his tongue working wonders over her breast, Hermione threw back her damp tresses and arched her back in response to such overwhelming ministrations. He felt so damn good she suspected she'd scream before this was over. The loo was filled with the echoes of shared pleasure, from heavy panting to low whimpers of want to eventual imploring cries for release.

Finally, though it was only a matter of minutes, Severus and Hermione climaxed in unison, each curving their back—Severus against the solid tub and Hermione against the large hands that gripped her around the waist, holding her in place. Severus twitched slightly and Hermione slowed her rocking until her head found its way to Severus's shoulder, where she hunched over, giving in at last. She moaned as she stopped moving and lazily grazed her lips over Severus's wet skin till she found his lips, pecking them gently and repeatedly.

After catching his breath, Severus winced and tried to scoot himself backward against the tub. Raven eyes locked on caramel, lost and transfixed for seconds, noting the attractive smile that curled the edges of Hermione's puffy mouth.

"_That's_ why I asked you to get into the tub with me," she rasped, her panting turning into rough laughter, which made Severus smirk in reply.

"Point taken."

"I'm knackered," Hermione whispered as she wrapped her arms around Severus's neck. He leaned forward to sit upright but cradled her close. "Let's go to bed, love."

Although both were entirely spent, neither could will themselves to move right away. Having sex in a cast iron tub hadn't exactly been the smartest idea, though it was admittedly quite nice and welcomed at the time. A bit sore from the exercise, Hermione's legs were wrapped loosely around Severus's waist, whilst his face was burrowed wearily into the nape of her neck.

Once their breathing evened out, the couple untangled their limbs from one another to stand up, dry off, and change into pajamas for the night. Thankfully, the bed had been unpacked earlier, allowing the newlyweds to curl up next to each other and fall asleep without any further unpacking or unwanted wand waving.

Hermione's head hit the pillow and she was out within seconds, along with Severus, who spooned her from behind before drifting off to sleep with his nose buried into the nape of her neck, along with her furious curls that engulfed most of his face. It didn't matter, though. Her scent helped him sleep, the coziness and warmth of the woman in his arms an immense comfort to his once lonely state. He'd take those furious curls over sleeping alone ever again.

Several boxes remained sprawled around the half made-up bedroom, but the remainder of their unpacking would most definitely have to wait until morning. Tonight, in the welcoming amenities of their new home, sleep was of the essence.

* * *

Severus was already up and working on breakfast by the time Hermione emerged from their room, looking famished and with her curls frizzy and spiraling in every possible direction. She couldn't care less about her messy appearance, though, and glared at the amused look her husband gave her before laying a good morning kiss on his lips.

"I suppose the roles are reversed this morning," Hermione muttered, taking a much-needed sip of coffee. "Usually _you're_ the grouchy one and I'm ready to rise and shine."

"I _am_ grouchy, my dear."

"Less than usual."

"I spent the first night in our home getting shagged in the loo. You were in quite the playful mood last night."

Hermione blushed profusely, a smile finally creeping its way onto her face; she swatted Severus's arm before he could turn away from her to resume cooking, an expression of triumph lingering in his eyes long after he turned around.

Following breakfast, the couple worked on fixing up the remainder of their bedroom, summoning clothing and furnishings, including drawers, rugs and a writing desk that was situated underneath the window, into their proper place. Hermione couldn't have been more pleased as everything they owned seemed to find it's proper fit somewhere. It was quite a drastic change from glooming Spinner's End, where the two had lived for several years following the war, and a much warmer and welcoming home at that.

By late morning, Hermione had made it to the second floor and began work on the upstairs, though there wasn't much to tackle in this part of the house—yet. Four small rooms made up the second level, though Severus had been keener on only two or three when they started building. One was to be used as Severus's study for when he was home from Hogwarts. Hermione suspected it probably wouldn't get much use—he normally brewed and graded simultaneously—and the second room was to be a guest quarters for sure. Not that it helped with Severus pointing out to her on several occasions who might possibly be spending the night. Still, Hermione wished for a proper guest room her parents could stay in, if they so desired.

The other two rooms reared into more "potential" territory: a possible child's bedroom with a separate play area. _If _they decided to have a second child, the smaller of the two could easily be converted into another bedroom. Hermione wasn't sure if the same logic had entered Severus's mind, but there was plenty of time to entertain the idea.

_I hope there's time_, Hermione suddenly found herself frowning as she stared at the two unoccupied bedrooms from the top of the staircase. Severus could suddenly be heard coming up from behind her, having put some finishing touches on their bedroom before joining her.

A pair of strong, steady hands slithered around her waist, bringing her to his sturdy chest. Hermione's smile returned, though fainter than before, and she gently wrapped her arms over top of his, turning her head to receive his kiss on the lips.

"Everything going all right up here?" he asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at the tainted glimmer in her eyes. Something was obviously troubling her that she was trying her best to hide.

"Yes, fine," she answered, tearing her eyes away from him towards the empty rooms that hung open, their walls bland and bare for the time being.

As if by chance, a sudden dawning emerged on Hermione's poised face. Four rooms for potentially four small children, as seen in the Mirror of Erised...

How the hell had she not realized it sooner? Hermione covered her mouth with her hand, a gesture Severus caught, and his senses heightened.

"What's the matter?" he pressed her for a reply.

"Don't you see?" she whispered, directing his gaze towards what he could visualize: wooden floors, a small window at the end of the hallway to let in some natural light, and four doors, two on either side. Nothing unordinary to his senses. One guest bedroom, one study—

_Oh..._

"Severus." Hermione was peering up at him, appraising his carefully guarded reaction. "This _can't _be a coincidence. None of it can."

"Hermione..."

"Four daughters, four bedrooms—well, _potential_ bedrooms. Severus—"

"Hermione, _don't._"

He hadn't meant to put her down, or to stomp out her hopes, as she was clearly thrilled; but Severus, for one, didn't believe in fate. He also didn't believe in destiny either, nor that he and Hermione were _supposed_ to have what the Mirror of Erised had shown them during that war ceremony. Sure, he thought about those faces daily. They haunted and hounded him, in many respects, but his life expectancy was enough of a gamble as it was without throwing children into the mix. He had only just informed Hermione some two nights ago that he would be willing to start a family, if—and it was a big 'if'—the timing was right, and he was in the best possible health he could be in for it to happen.

Severus chanced a glance down at his wife, despising the frown he had replaced with the smile that had been there seconds ago. He gently pecked her forehead and brought her close.

"One day at a time, remember?" he opted instead of casting out all her hopes at once.

Four children? In all likelihood, it wouldn't happen. They'd be lucky to have one, perhaps two. He couldn't even bring himself to think on more than one yet, to be honest. If his health suddenly went south tomorrow, there would be none; he'd have to worry about making his new bride a widow before bringing fatherless children into this world.

Hermione met his response with a weighty sigh. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Severus kissed her again. "I'm not trying to cast out all hope of the possibility, Hermione. I just think—"

"No, you're right, Severus. I'm sorry, I let my excitement get away with me. Still..."

Hermione took another moment to gaze at all four doors. Such potential, such possibility, such opportunity lay in store within those four walls. This home, already warm and alive, could be brought even _more_ to life if...

"I know," she heard Severus murmur into her ear, causing her to shudder in his arms.

After a long moment of silence, Hermione felt her chest starting to cave. She blinked rapidly and shook her head, willing a bright smile back onto her face. She leaned onto her tiptoes to kiss her dark wizard, feigning a return to normalcy as much as she could.

"We should organize the patio before lunch."

Severus rolled his eyes, a few stray hairs falling against his nose. "Merlin, would you slow down? We _could _have a spot of tea first."

"We could; or we could organize the patio?" she snickered, her chuckling growing at the receiving of Severus's pinched up features.

"I'm famished, actually."

"Famished? I haven't seen you consume that much egg and bacon since... Well, since I've known you!"

"Bollocks, witch. I'm hungry."

"Oh, very well! Half an hour for tea and something to eat."

Severus sneered disapprovingly. "Are we on a time crunch?"

"No, only I'm anxious!"

"_And I'm hungry_," he growled with a deeper frown.

Laughing at the man's endearing pout, though he'd hardly see it as such, Hermione smacked his chest and followed a sea of billowing robes down the flight of stairs, her gaze lingering for the briefest moment on the mostly unused second floor.

_Yes, Hermione... One day at a time. _

* * *

**A/N #2: I try to drop in details of their home wherever possible, but I hope you got a clearer sense overall of the structure to the house with this piece. One of these days I might actually draw it so that you all can see exactly what I see in my crazy head. ;)**


	11. Markings of the Past

**A/N: It would seem that the last one-shot was a major disappointment. Was it really _that_ bad? :(  
**

**Well...in any case...this little piece is a short one and my own this time...but I can only hope it's, perhaps, better than the last... Otherwise, I'm not really sure what else to do, as I _am_ trying my best...  
**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Markings of the Past**

_Hailey has some questions for Severus about some peculiar scars on his body._

_(A prompt of my own this time, and one I've been wanting to write for a while.)_

* * *

Severus prepared himself for bed in the usual fashion, casting his clothes neatly aside for the following day, pressed and at the ready. He issued a charm that unwrinkled the creases in his coat and robes before folding them together in their proper place.

Hermione was working a late night shift at the Ministry, which only happened every so often, but putting the children to bed without the help of his wife could prove quite the chore, as it had this evening with three little ones. Of course, none of the children wanted to go to bed, insisting on staying up for just "one more book." True to proving himself the gullible sod who indulged his daughters' every whim, Severus caved to each toddler's demands and read _several_ more books, not a mere one or two.

By the time he finished reading a fifth children's tale, it was well past the girl's bedtimes, most of all Hailey, who should have been put to sleep roughly two hours prior. If Hermione had been home, the wizard mused to himself, this would _never_ have happened. For whatever reasons that still aggravated him, Severus couldn't be as strict or firm with the girls as his wife was, and do so with such irritable ease. Granted, he was plenty firm with his Hogwarts students, but when it came to his own children—those three little beings with such life and personality—something in his normally rigid, reserved demeanor melted. Hermione never failed to tease him about it, but then, he lamented, _she was bloody right! __  
_

"Daddy, _please!_" Surina moped that evening, giving the Slytherin her best possible pout, thinking her father hadn't a clue what she was up to. "Just one more book? _Please?_"

"No," he declared, finally putting his foot down after tossing the book aside. "You all need to get to bed. Now."

"One more!" Hailey, too, insisted, hopping up and down on her sister's bed. "One more, Daddy! One more!"

"Absolutely not," he snarled quietly, but that only earned him more giggling from his youngest. "It's bed for the lot of you."

"Ohhh," they all whined in unison, jolting Severus as he got to his feet.

"No, not yet!"

"One more, Daddy! One more book!"

"We don't want to go to bed yet! We're not tired!"

"And is _that_ supposed to garner my sympathies?" he challenged; not that the children really understood what the heck he meant. Each of them merely stared up him, their eyes imploring and threatening to crumble the wizard's resolve. "What you want or don't want is irrelevant," he added in a failed attempt to make his point.

_Merlin, is that ever pathetically untrue, Severus!_ his mind all but laughed at him.

Severus tucked Lily and Surina into bed first, whilst Hailey hovered by the doorway, awaiting her turn with a worn doll clutched to her chest. After saying his proper goodnights, Severus took Hailey's dainty hand and led her back to her room, allowing the tot to prattle on excitedly about the book they had just read together.

"One day I'll have a _big, big_ cauldron, Daddy, and I'll make lots of e-lisers, and you can come live with me and we'll bake and cook—"

"Is that so?" Severus humored her as he directed her to her bed and tucked her in beneath the covers.

"Yes, Daddy! And Mummy will live with us, too!"

"What about your sisters?"

Hailey scrunched her nose unpleasantly. "They can go somewhere else."

Severus gave the curly-haired witch a sharp look. "Now, _that_ isn't nice, Hailey. Where would they live?"

"They'll have their own castles!"

Severus snorted. "Oh, it's a castle now, is it?"

"Yes! As big as _our_ house! We'll have one, Lily will have one, and Surina will have one!" She frowned up at the dark wizard, unperturbed by the familiar intensity of his gaze. "But you can't go visit them, Daddy. You and Mummy live with_ me._"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Is that the rule?"

"_Yes!_" she asserted, a few curls flopping into her eyes.

Severus smirked and lightly brushed the hairs away from his daughter's face. "Very well," he whispered, leaning over the eager child to kiss her goodnight. Hailey snuggled into the warmth of the covers and hugged her doll tightly. "Goodnight, little one."

"Night, Daddy. We see you tomorrow."

Severus's faint smile remained as he made to get up, but Hailey's voice unexpectedly rang out, "No, Daddy! You forgot to kiss Rosie goodnight!"

She pointed adamantly to her raggedy doll, one that both Severus and Hermione had subtly attempted to salvage, but Hailey immediately noticed the magic used to change the doll's features and whined for Rosie to be switched back to her less than stellar condition. The doll's face peaked out from underneath the covers, laying against Hailey's pillow. Making a quick sneer the child didn't see, Severus bent down to swiftly kiss the doll as well, then Hailey one last time on the forehead.

"My apologies, Rosie," he offered, amused. "Sleep well, you two."

Hailey smiled up at him, her brown eyes far too awake, considering the time. "Night, Daddy," she giggled and pulled the covers up around her face.

Now, as Severus changed out of his trousers and into loose-fitting black pajama bottoms, he couldn't help but wonder how late Hermione would be. Aside from his time spent away from his family at Hogwarts, Severus wasn't accustomed to sleeping alone and rather detested it nowadays. He suspected he would probably stay up until her return, despite how heavy his eyelids fought his efforts.

Severus strolled over to the bed and gingerly sat down, staring into the crackling fireplace in front of him. The glow made his tired eyes wince, but the heat felt glorious against his bare chest and shoulders.

The beginning of spring was proving chillier than usual, winter not willing yet to give up its post of relentless ice and falling snowstorms. Severus was grateful to be spending several days away from Hogwarts this week. The nasty weather further north meant that his aching limbs for a change could receive a bit of a breather from Scotland's more frigid conditions, even if he still felt that dull stiffness throughout his body.

Severus wasn't sure how long he stared at the magnetic flames that sprouted wildly in the hearth and reflected against his cool, colorless eyes, giving them an energy they didn't normally contain; but, all of a sudden, a small voice called out to him from across the room, startling him out of his weary daze.

"Daddy?"

Severus squinted his eyes in the darkness. "Hailey?" He sighed and, with difficulty, rose from the bed. "What are you doing up?"

_I knew she wouldn't go down_, he groused internally.

"I can't sleep," she whined, drawing closer and still clutching the doll named Rosie. She rubbed at her eyes and gave the wizard a closer inspection.

The troubled look that spread across Hailey's round face gave Severus pause, and it was then that he came to the grim realization that the upper half of his body wasn't covered but, rather, exposed. He had regularly tried not to dress or undress himself in front of the girls, specifically to avoid such unnecessary scrutiny of his person, whether it was the Dark Mark on his arm, the unsightly slashes across his chest and back or the ghastly snake bites across his neck. His throat bothered him most of all, as it was a reminder of far more complicating factors his daughters were too young to understand and, frankly, weren't ready to know.

_Damn it_, he cursed himself for being so careless.

But it was too late. Hailey's widened eyes were clearly studying all said markings, taking them in with an almost frightened expression marring her face, her young self trying to make sense for why they were there. She frowned unhappily and hugged her doll tighter.

"Why do you have so many booboos, Daddy?"

The question was small and feeble and very unlike the usually upbeat, curious toddler. Severus tried to keep from scowling outright. He was annoyed with himself, not with her, and for not at least having the sense to lock his bloody door, which would have given him fair warning that Hailey was coming. Had he simply done so, he could have spared Hailey from seeing him in such a state, and spared himself from the questions that would surely follow.

"It's a long story, sweetheart," he stated as calmly as he could, making sure to keep his Dark Mark out of sight by hiding his arm behind his back. Hailey seemed too distracted by the violent markings on his pale chest, though. No... _His throat._ That was where the eyes had drifted and now hovered, transfixed. She mimicked the wounds by swallowing hard and scratching at her own throat.

Quietly, she stepped closer, but Severus scooted back against the bed in an attempt to ward off a closer inspection. If he could at least keep her from seeing his back, it would be one less worry for them both.

Hailey may have been a mere three years old going on four, but the bright, bushy-haired child sensed what her father was up to. She frowned and put her hands on her hips, leaving Rosie to drag along the floor. Severus nearly lost his composure at the uncanny resemblance to Hermione—both the stance and the stubborn expression—if it weren't for what the tot was now privy to that Severus would have preferred she wasn't.

"I want to see, Daddy," she insisted with feeling, though her voice was small.

"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible. You need to go back to bed, Hailey."

"Not until I see!" Her confidence waned a little at the receiving of a darker, warning glare from her father; one she knew well enough not to cross.

"You don't make the bedtime rules, Hailey. Come along."

Severus used his right hand to steer her in the direction of the door, but Hailey evaded his grasp by spinning on her heel and flying past him towards the opposite side of the bed. She twirled around before Severus could, and the emitting light from the fireplace was enough to cast definition upon the various slashes laced across Severus's back. Her eyes, barely visible over the top of the bed, widened in alarm.

"Daddy, you have _more_ booboos!" she cried, hoisting her small legs onto the bed with some difficulty. "Why? Why so many, Daddy?"

Severus groaned, exhausted and agitated. "It's complicated, Hailey."

"_Why?_"

"I'm not going to tell you again, Hail—"

"_Why_, Daddy? _Please?_" She crawled across the bed towards him and sat up, patting at his usual spot. "Sit, Daddy. Sit!"

When she additionally reached out to tug at his wrist, Severus's will crumbled and he grudgingly sunk down onto the bed next to her, allowing the toddler to scrutinize him for a long period of silence, her wild eyes roving over the various cuts along his back, shoulders, and throat. Her tiny fingers traced a couple of them, mapping across his shoulder blades, spine, and eventually his chest.

"Daddy?" she asked after what seemed like forever, even if it had only been a minute or two.

"Yes?" He made to clear his throat, the visible uneasiness of the situation missed by his daughter entirely.

"Are you hurt?" she whispered, her frown deepening.

Severus peered down at her and found her staring up at him with an endearing concern in her eyes. It was just the sort of expression he had hoped to avoid, particularly in one so young.

"No, munchkin," he returned softly into her frizzy mop of hair. "I'm not hurt."

"But they look like they hurt, Daddy."

"No... They don't." He faked a smile, one the little girl didn't know to be false—yet. "Not anymore."

Hailey drew up onto her knees and held out her doll. "Rosie and me, we're sad."

Severus arched an eyebrow, willing himself to play along. "You're sad? Why's that?"

"Because you were hurt, Daddy."

"But I told you, Hailey, I'm not anymore—"

"_But you were_," she pressed, pouting.

Severus turned away from her to comb his fingers through his lank hair, unsure of what to say. He stared intently at the burning hearth, his eyes glistening amidst the darkness.

"Yes, I was," he replied after a time, "but it's all over now."

For a moment, the little witch at his side didn't make a sound, though he could feel her weighty gaze nearly burning into his flesh, the eyes still soaking in the physical flaws on his body. He was ready to levitate her back to bed if he had to, if only to avoid any further scrutiny, when something light suddenly brushed against his back, followed by gentle sucking noises. He turned his head to find Hailey patting Rosie all over his back, leaving imaginary kisses on his many cuts.

"Mummy kisses my booboos when I'm hurt," she explained, perching Rosie against his pillow when she was through, "and it makes me feel better. Rosie and me want to give you kisses, Daddy, to make you feel better."

Severus's features tightened, his lips morphing into a weak smile. "Thank you, Hailey."

"Did it help?"

Severus reached out and cradled the side of her face in his hand. "Yes, immensely."

Hailey's warming eyes trickled to Severus's neck again. Tentatively, she reached out one dainty hand to touch the wounds, but Severus was quicker this time and swiped her hand away, gathering it in his much larger palm.

"You can't touch those, sweetheart," he informed her, his voice both commanding yet gentle. Her confused eyes scanned his.

"Why not, Daddy? Do they still hurt?"

Severus didn't hesitate to lie. In a way, they _were_ painful to the touch, but not for reasons his three year old daughter could possibly understand. He slowly nodded for her, hoping she wouldn't press him.

"Yes, they do."

Hailey's flummoxed glower deepened. "But won't kissing the booboos make it all better?"

"Normally, it would, yes, but... Not these wounds."

"Can't I try?" she pushed, inching closer until she was practically on his lap.

"_No_, Hailey."

His insistence, stern and harsher in tone this time, was immediately comprehended and obeyed. Hailey shied away a little at the unusual severity in Severus's voice, unaccustomed to hearing it. He quickly sought to remedy the situation by scooping her onto his lap and nuzzling her button nose.

"You cannot touch these wounds, Hailey," he offered more gently, "but I'd still take a kiss to the cheek, if you're willing?"

Hailey pursed her lips, not missing the Slytherin's subtle ploy. "But you don't have a booboo there, Daddy!"

Severus finally cracked a genuine smile. "You're right, little one, I don't, but I'd still welcome one, all the same."

Hailey pondered the prospect for a moment, taunting the wizard with her contorted brow and narrowed eyes. At last, her gaze softened and she leaned in to peck Severus's cheek, her caress both soothing and sweet, soft and endearing to the touch. Severus returned her affection with a kiss of his own to the top of her head.

"All right, you," he whispered close to her face, "time for bed."

"Yes, Daddy!"

Hailey hopped off of his lap, her bare feet hardly making a sound on the wooden floors, and looped her fingers through his, unmindfully dragging Rosie on the ground again as she led the way back to her bedroom on the second level. Severus could still feel the youngster's curious eyes studying the physical markings of his past all the way up the stairs, primarily the ghastly snake bites that, even in the darkness, were unavoidable to the eyes, but he decidedly focused on the kiss his daughter had bestowed on his cheek, somewhat amused to find that she was right: it _did_ make one feel remarkably better.


	12. Giving Her Away

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I wanted to complete another fic of mine, _The Awakening_, before continuing these one-shots. (Feel free to check it out!) **

**If you're still interested in these stories, then bless your heart! I hope you enjoy this one...**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Giving Her Away**

_Lily's wedding day marks an emotional occasion for the Snape family._

_(So many of you requested this prompt that I'm sure I'd leave someone out if I tried to list everyone by name. So, I will just say a big 'thank you' for this lovely prompt request. I'm happy that there were so many wanting to read such a scenario, as it's one I, myself, have had in the back of my mind for ages and hoped to "flesh out" at some point.)_

* * *

Lily fidgeted with the quarter length sleeves of her dress several times, catching her mother's attentive eye. Calmly, Hermione walked over to her eldest daughter, who was preoccupied with peering out the window at the growing number of witches and wizards gathering on her family's back lawn, too distracted to pay heed to Hermione gently adjusting the material.

"The Ministry official isn't here yet," she huffed; it was nerves, however, not anger laced in her voice, and Hermione offered a reassuring smile for her daughter.

"He'll be here soon, love."

"He knows the time, doesn't he?"

"_Of course_ he does."

"Do you think I should've asked him to come a half hour sooner?"

"No, Lily," Hermione chuckled, reaching down to fan out her long train, wanting to keep the beautiful material from wrinkling. A mixture of intricate beading and lace caught the sunlight pouring in from the window, casting attractive rays along every contour and detail of Lily's wedding gown, including the series of buttons that trickled down the length of her back. "We have a half hour still. No fretting yet, understood?"

"Where the heck is Surina?" Lily demanded, all but ignoring Hermione's words.

"You asked her and Jeannie to check on your father, remember?"

"I know, but they've been gone an awfully long time, Mum," Lily mumbled, choosing instead to wring her hands together rather than pull at her sleeves anymore. "Do you think Dad's gone off somewhere? I don't see him."

"You're not _supposed_ to see him, Lily, nor any of the boys, so quit looking!" Hermione crossed her arms and smirked, amused. "I knew we should've administered a Calming Draught to you earlier."

Lily took several deep gulps of air and didn't acknowledge Hermione's gentle teasing. She craned her neck and squinted, trying to spot any of the groomsmen outside, more particularly her strapping husband-to-be, James, amongst the crowd, but, unsurprisingly, they were nowhere to be found.

"There's still time," came Jeannie's cheerful voice from the hallway, who came skipping into the room wearing a pleasant, fetching smile, one that immediately brightened the room. "Would you like a phial, Lily?"

"No, thanks, sis," Lily returned, the knot in her stomach lifting a little; she returned her sister's sweet-tempered smile. "I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Hailey also intoned, trailing in after her younger sibling. "It'll suppress your nerves."

"I'm going to be nervous no matter what concoction anyone gives me." Lily raised an eyebrow at Jeannie. "How's Dad?"

Jeannie's smile didn't falter, but her response was quieter than before. "He'll be all right."

_That_ didn't reassure Lily's nerves whatsoever. "Meaning...?"

Jeannie turned to her mother for guidance, who seemed to secretly understand what her daughter didn't have the heart to disclose. She stepped forward and took Lily lightly by the arm.

"You're getting married, sweetie. This is an emotional day for _all_ of us, that's all."

Lily finally willed herself to turn away from the window and took another calculated breath. She also appeared a tad calmer than before, much to Hermione's relief. The bride-to-be surveyed her two sisters that were present, dressed in matching pale yellow cocktail dresses that stopped below the knee.

Jeannie's dark, boisterous curls were half pulled back into a silver clasp. Her creamy complexion and doll-like face, though older, made her as captivating a sight as ever—only a physical maturity was starting to emerge for the now fifth year Hogwarts student. Although she had maintained that warming endearment she had always had, a certain poise and sophistication was also coming to the forefront.

Hailey, too, had blossomed since starting at Hogwarts with her sisters all those years ago. Still preserving an uncanny resemblance to her mother, her once bushy hair was now refined and tamed for Lily's special day with the help of some beautification charms she had mastered over the years. Her hair was pulled into an up do, leaving several loose curls that fell around her exposed neck and face. To all in the room, she was a freshly dolled up, adult-like Hermione, only with darker eyes.

The only sibling still missing from their party was Surina, Lily's maid-of-honor; the Slytherin and total opposite in character to her Gryffindor sister in every possible way, and yet, her closest confidant and best friend. Surina hadn't been happy with Lily's color choice for the bridesmaids' dresses, but, for a change, she kept her mouth shut and her disappointment mostly under wraps, though Lily knew her sister too well to be fooled. She appreciated Surina's mask of restraint, however—a trait of discretion she had undoubtedly picked up from their father.

Lily lastly locked eyes with Hermione, dressed, too, in a pale yellow, two-piece number—a short coat made of lace, a sleeveless top with lace outlining, and a long, flowing skirt that stopped at the ankles. A silver clasp, larger than Jeannie's, was nestled amongst her thick curl, which, too, had been tamed for today's ceremony.

Neither mother, nor daughter, was sure how long they stared at one another—Hermione squeezing Lily's arm and gazing at her with a mixture of joy and deep-seated attachment she and Severus must finally relinquish—but, suddenly, Surina came strolling into her parents' bedroom, where the ladies had been getting ready, breaking the emotional moment between mother and daughter.

Dressed similarly to her sisters, Surina wore her black hair straight and long, as well as a silver pin on her chest that differentiated her as the maid-of-honor. "The Ministry official's here," she informed them all, reserved and composed as ever. "Most of the guests have arrived. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny are with James and the groomsmen now, and they should be coming inside at any minute."

Lily gave a slight frown. "And Dad?"

Surina's face tightened slightly. "He knows when to be here."

"I know he _knows_, Surina... How is he?"

Not missing the opportunity to unnerve her older sibling, Surina deadpanned, "Snarky and sulking about as usual. Why?"

Jeannie and Hailey giggled, as did Hermione, but Lily's face fell, not finding the humor in the situation. "That isn't funny, sis," she replied in a delicate whisper, but Surina merely shrugged off Lily's concerns.

"I thought it was?"

"I know you're trying to help but..."

"Lily," Hermione interrupted, tugging on her daughter's arm, "don't worry. This is_ your_ day. Enjoy it."

"I know, I know, it's just..." Lily's eyes drew to the engagement ring on her fourth finger, her silence conveying what she felt too solemn at the moment to express.

Hermione leaned in and kissed her daughter's cheek, the pang in her chest growing tighter. "Your father's very happy for you, love. We'll _all_ have a good time today."

Lily's eyes brightened at Hermione's remark and she took her mother by the hand. "You're right, Mum. We will."

* * *

Severus stalked the hallway for what felt like ages. He knew the Potters, including James, his brother, Albus, and the other groomsmen were blatantly gawking at his stoic, even strides, trailing him up and down the narrow hallway, but he didn't care. He hadn't done much else but pace since getting up that morning. Sure, he had dressed himself appropriately and ensured that everything for his daughter's wedding was coming together smoothly—on _her_ behalf, as well as Hermione's—but, otherwise, he had resorted to pacing back and forth wherever he found himself, his hands tied behind his back and his mouth clamped shut lest he say something he shouldn't.

Today was the day, as a father, he had been dreading for some twenty-two years. The thought of giving his daughter away was a painful one to consider, virtually unthinkable in many respects. She would still be his daughter, wouldn't she?

_"Of course she will be, Severus," Hermione would quietly reassure him, even when he didn't ask it of her. "That's not going to change."_

_But the rest?_

_"We knew this day was coming, love," his wife reminded him, sadness creeping into her tone; her eyes had also turned misty and heavy, echoing Severus's buried sentiments that he kept trying to suppress and not think on in the weeks leading up to this day. "We have to find it in our hearts to let her go..."_

_'Let her go'?_ Such a horrific idea plagued him, sometimes keeping him awake at night. How on earth could he simply let his own child 'go'? He didn't have the stomach, nor the heart, to ask for help on that score.

After the fifth or sixth time of pacing the length of the hallway, from his bedroom to the door that led to the outside patio, where the wedding party had gathered save for the bride herself, as well as the bridesmaids and Hermione, Ginny giggled and grabbed Severus by the arm once he was within reach.

"Severus," she whispered in kind, throwing him a soft smile, even as he appeared almost affronted at her touching him, "relax. Everything's going to be _fine._"

Catching the humorous twinkle in Harry's eyes as well, in addition to the groom and groomsmen, Severus curled his upper lip defiantly. "I'm well aware of that, Mrs. Potter, thank you."

Harry held back his own laughter by adjusting his round glasses. "We're _all_ nervous today, Severus."

Severus's eyes narrowed. "Who said anything about nerves?"

Ginny humorously shook her head and linked an arm through her husband's. "Very well," she snickered and then gave him a sharp look. "Call it whatever you like, Severus; but, for what it's worth hearing, it_ will_ be fine."

Severus snarled too quietly for the Potters to hear and was about to spin around on his heel and leave them all to laugh at him if they so chose, but James unexpectedly stepped forward and cleared his throat, somewhat blocking the dour wizard's way. "Uncle Severus?" he addressed his future father-in-law, his confidence waning a little at the skeptical look that marred Severus's face. He had been trying to work up the nerve for nearly an hour to approach the intimidating Slytherin before the ceremony began. "I hope... Well, that is to say... I just wanted to..." he stammered, his backbone and words failing him.

Slowly, Severus straightened and stared at the young man soberly, offering his future son-in-law a quiet nod of understanding—a gesture that spoke volumes, even if no words were offered. Lily would have been proud, he knew, as would his wife. It was a slight bow of acknowledgement; an acceptance of the man who was to become a permanent fixture within the Snape family. The patriarch's silent approval hadn't come without its share of hurdles and wasn't dexterously given, but Severus's quiet consent was an enormity in itself that all present took in, most of all James.

Music from a live band suddenly erupted outside, signaling to all that the ceremony was about to begin. The atmosphere intensified with anticipation as everyone shuffled to get into place. Soon, the backdoor magically opened and James, followed by his three groomsmen, lined up on the patio. A white aisle had been draped on the ground, and drew the viewer's eye towards a series of chairs for guests and a canopy at the front, centered on the back lawn. Natural woodlands of gold and red served as a picturesque backdrop for the occasion, and every guest turned their eyes to watch the groom and his party progress down the aisle. The Potters lined up next.

Without warning, Severus suddenly found Harry's hand outstretched to him to shake. As the two wizards' eyes met, Severus quietly returned Harry's handshake. Ginny offered an additional wink of reassurance and let her husband lead them both onto the patio. Severus hadn't even noticed Hermione come strolling up behind him, silently emerging at his side and followed closely by their daughters.

Severus turned to Hermione, who was beaming up at him, her eyes warm and a little watery. Her glowing face, bright expression, and fetching dress left him speechless and, for a moment, he couldn't convey anything to his wife, for none of the words he so desperately wanted to say were within reach.

"Just wait till you see her, Severus," he heard Hermione whisper in awe, choking on the words as they tumbled out. "_She's so beautiful._" As if in slow motion, Hermione drew onto her tip toes to press a loving kiss to his cheek. Staring deep into his eyes, she reached out and affectionately squeezed his arm. "You can do this," she added comfortingly, lowering her voice so that their daughters wouldn't hear.

Severus couldn't respond. He simply watched Hermione tear her eyes away from him to walk out onto the patio, thereby forcing his attention to turn to the girls at long last. Hailey and Jeannie were smiling pleasantly at him, looking as exquisite as he had ever seen the pair of them; but it was the sight that lay just beyond his two youngest that all but stopped his heart and made his throat tighten.

Lily stood in the center of the confined hallway, dressed in her gorgeously laced wedding gown, with a long veil placed over her head that, though sparkling and intricate to the eye, couldn't mask the tear-filled expression from the young woman behind it. She stepped closer, until she was standing directly in front of him, and the two ignored everything else taking place in that moment, father and daughter mindful of only each other.

Severus could feel his face reddening and his hands starting to shake. _This was it._ This was that dreaded, painful moment he had been trying to avoid, and it was finally upon him. And yet, gazing down at his eldest daughter—his first, who changed his world and opened his heart in a manner he never thought possible—Severus was overwhelmed by his daughter's sheer beauty. She had never looked more radiant or splendid or pure to him than in this moment. She was angelic and, yes, Hermione was right: _she was beautiful._

Words escaped his tongue. All Severus could do was pull Lily close to his chest, his body trembling with the want to break down and allow himself what he had denied it for so long: to mourn her loss.

A pair of warm, familiar arms wrapped themselves around his back, and all was quiet and still save for a few choked sobs from everyone in the room, including his other children, all of whom looked on through watery eyes. Even Surina, who rarely cried, made an exception and tabbed at her tears as she held the train of his sister's gown, taking in the sight of their emotional embrace.

"I love you," he muffled into her veil a couple times, to which Lily replied with the same heartfelt sentiment, loud enough for her siblings to overhear.

"It'll be all right, Dad," she sniveled into his ear. The feel of her rigidly strong father clinging to her like some sort of lifeline, as well as being reduced to tears, was heartbreaking, enough to crush her resolve _not_ to cry when she saw him. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she hugged him tighter and teased, "I'm still your little girl, aren't I?"

Severus hitched a breath before replying, "Yes... _Always_," to which Lily turned her head, lifted her veil and adamantly kissed his cheek, her lips met by the wetness of a tear that had escaped the wizard's eyes.

When Hailey delicately informed them that it was time to go, a terrible sensation suddenly pressed Severus's heart. This really _was_ it. He was giving his Lily Eileen away at long last; but she was still his little girl, and all he wanted to do was embrace her a little while longer. James Sirius Potter may have ultimately won her heart, _but she had loved him first_, and the dark wizard desperately needed one more moment with her before she was whisked away for good.

_No, Severus, you can't_, his emotionally conflicted conscience wrestled. _Let her go. You_ have _to let her go..._

Quite reluctantly, Severus stepped back, exposing his lost composure for all of his children to see. Jeannie stepped forward to offer him a handkerchief, but Lily extracted it from her sister's hand and informed her to go on ahead. The music now playing signaled the bridesmaids' entrances, starting with the littlest, who gave Severus a comforting smile and disappeared onto the patio.

As if by some sort of mechanical force, Severus allowed Lily to ease the pair of them into position behind Hailey and Surina, who made sure Lily's train was sufficient before stepping away. Father and bride watched each of the girls make their entrances down the aisle, and Severus used what little time he had left to collect his wits. He didn't like showing such intense emotion in front of anyone, let alone a handful of guests. His own children rarely saw him cry, even if they were well aware of how fiercely he regarded them. His humiliation was quickly cast out by Lily, however, who nudged his side and smiled sweetly up at him, though her eyes betrayed her still quite emotional state.

"It's going to be fine, Dad," she repeated softly, as she made to not only link their arms together but wrap her hand through his. "I know this is awfully tough for you but—"

"_No, Lily_," he insisted, fighting back the truth of the situation as best he could. "I... I'm happy for you. Please know that I'm immensely happy for you. This is _your_ day, my dear. Enjoy every second of it."

Lily's eyes livened at his encouragement, but her smile was tainted by a sadness for him that she knew he was struggling not to show. "I'm still your daughter, Dad," she insisted, as if wanting to reassure him that today wasn't an entire loss—for him. Where she had developed such an unfailingly gracious disposition, Severus knew not, but, as was usually the case, her inherent sweetness left him bereft of words. "None of that's going to change, I promise."

_But everything else will_, he lamented for himself alone, giving her instead a reassuring, albeit feeble, trace of a smile. Although it passed quickly from his face, Lily still caught it all the same.

Severus brought Lily's hand to his mouth to bestow it with a tenderly-rendered kiss just as the music signaled their cue to walk. Together, Severus and Lily stepped out into the clearing for all to see. Severus didn't focus on the guests rising from their seats or the many ogling faces fawning over his captivating daughter or even the flighty photographer, a small, balding man who kept flashing obnoxious white lights in Severus's and Lily's faces as they progressed down the aisle. He tried, instead, to focus as much on Lily as he possibly could. _It will be over in a matter of seconds_, he reminded himself, _so focus, Severus._

As if in no time at all, he and Lily suddenly stood before the rest of the wedding party, including James. Severus turned to his daughter and his heart fell a little at the gaze that was so blatantly directed elsewhere. Lily held eyes only for her future husband, and it was then that the power of giving her away finally hit Severus all at once. He heard the words the Ministry official asked, but they hadn't quite registered yet.

"Who gives this witch to be married to this wizard?"

Severus found himself saying the words, though they hadn't reached his heart. "Her mother and I do," he answered. Lily turned to peer up at him, and their intertwined hands and arms finally withdrew from one another.

If he looked too long, he would forsake keeping a brave face, so Severus quickly leaned in to peck Lily's cheek, despite the veil that was in place, and, as though in slow motion, stepped away from her at long last. He wasn't sure how he made it to the pew without a second glance, but, somehow, he managed it, and slipped into the front row beside Hermione, who had her hand ready to take his. He compressed it immediately—probably too tightly, but she didn't issue a complaint—and neither one let go until the ceremony was concluded.

* * *

Now that the guests were seated inside the expanded tent that had been setup in the back yard, Severus was feeling the pressure. It was the source of more than a few disgruntled tugs to his cravat, as well as careful glances from the witch at his side. Hermione knew, of course, that her husband was nervous, more so for this than the wedding ceremony itself. Whilst that had been emotionally trying for obvious reasons, _this_ was painful on a whole other level. She sensed that Severus inwardly appreciated her support, even if he merely groused at her in return.

Severus had scooped up her hand ever since they sat down at their table. He wasn't nervous in the usual fashion of standing up in front of a handful of guests to make a speech—he had done so many a time in front of students for the past three decades, after all—but the expectation from the father of the bride to offer something profound, illuminating and deeply personal was worthy of nerves, particularly for a one Severus Snape. Such sentiments were normally reserved for his family alone. Having to express those sentiments in front of anyone else, let alone this many, was, to the reclusive wizard, about as uncomfortable as putting his balls in a vice. If he didn't say something profound or heart tugging, he would only come off as cold and uncaring, and he knew Lily wouldn't appreciate such a masked act; not on her special day. She would _want_ to hear something heartfelt, so there was nothing for it.

"You'll do fine, love," Hermione leaned in and reassured him for probably the fourth or fifth time since they sat down.

Severus grunted and tossed back the remainder of his glass of wine. Hadn't he just gotten a glass? _Oh, bloody well._

"Steady on!" Hermione hissed and pinched his arm. The girls, all seated with them, laughed loudly at his expense, along with the Potters and their children, Albus and Lily, but Severus found no humor in any of it.

The clanging of glasses made Severus's mouth twitch, and, bloody hell, he was about to be announced by the live band. Reaching across Hermione to take what little was left of her own wine, he ignored her exclamation, whatever it was, and swallowed it in one gulp. Even Hermione's firm slap to his arm wouldn't assuage him now.

Immediately, the glasses magically refilled, much to Hermione's apprehension, and Severus was about to take another full swig of wine when the band made their announcement, prompting Severus reluctantly to his feet. "Ladies and gentlemen, the bride's father would like to say a few words."

_Like hell I would_, Severus curled his upper lip but made his way to the podium. He extracted his wand and charmed his voice to speak as though it were coming through a microphone.

Severus locked eyes quickly on the newly wedded Lily, seated next to her husband at their own table, their hands laced through each other's. The room was now silent, giving the former professor everyone's unwavering attention. He hadn't prepared anything to say, which his wife had rightfully griped was "his own fault," but, Merlin, now he wished he had...

"Ladies and gentleman," he began awkwardly, taking a moment to clear his throat, "I will be brief, both for my family's sake as well as the rest of you. On behalf of my wife, we'd first like to thank you all for joining us today in celebrating the union of my daughter, Lily, and her husband, James."

_Bollocks!_

Mindless clapping disrupted his speech, which Severus was determined to get through as swiftly as possible. "Hermione and I, as well as our daughters, would like to welcome James into our family." The words sounded a little stiff, perhaps slightly too strained to be believed, but Severus forced them out as gracefully as he could manage and was relieved when James saw fit to nod respectfully. "He has made our Lily content, and it is my deepest wish that, moving forward, he holds up his end of the bargain."

Severus was surprised at the flutter of laughter that followed that remark. _Fools!_ He hadn't meant it to be funny; rather, he had meant it with the utmost sincerity.

Frowning, he focused his attention on his watchful daughter, who smiled back at him pleasantly from across the room. "The rest of this speech I reserve for Lily, whom I..." Catching the irritable, undesired crack in his voice, Severus gathered his wits and tried again. "Whom I am _deeply_ proud of—her mother and I both are—and have always wished the greatest happiness and love. She deserves nothing less than the best, for she is good and wholesome, genuine and gentle to all; as kind a creature as one would ever hope to know..."

Severus's eyes took in the pictorial perfectness of his daughter—her glowing, young face, her enamoring, inviting brown eyes, and that heartening smile he knew so well and had received many, many times over. For a moment, Severus somewhat forgot the listening ears and attentive eyes watching him, his thoughts reserved only for Lily, whom he prayed his words would reach before he managed to make a real mess of things.

"Lily," he addressed her quietly, feeling his hands starting to clam up, "you have enriched our lives and brought your family all of the things that your mother and I have hoped for you to find in your own future: a life filled with happiness and love.

"Speaking as your father, you brought an acceptance and warmth into my life unlike any I'd ever imagined. Your selfless compassion and unfailing kindness make you a treasure, a gift, a witch set apart from the rest, and I hope that..." Feeling his voice catching in his throat again, Severus tried to plunge forward without stopping. "I hope that, as you begin your new life as a wife and, one day, perhaps a mother, that you continue to enrich James's life as you've so enriched your mother's and my own. You honored me by making me a father—_your_ father—and I thank you for that..."

There was a thoughtful silence that fell upon the room, though Severus hardly sensed it. He was overcome staring at the daughter that was no longer entirely his, who was now embarking on a new path that would forever separate her from him and Hermione. Casting the pain in his chest aside, Severus requested that all raise a toast in honor of his daughter and son-in-law and, in that moment, Severus finally sensed what he had suppressed during the wedding: Lily was gone.

When his speech was through, an eruption of applause rang out from the crowd, though Severus couldn't focus on the elation of those around him. He advanced over to the bride and groom, aware of the tears prickling his eyes that he was determined not to show anyone, not even Lily; but his efforts were in vain. His daughter embraced him as warmly as ever, though everything had changed.

Severus kissed her cheek a few times and held on to her, for how long he wasn't certain. "I'm still your little girl, Dad," she whispered once more, kissing his cheek in comfort. "That's not going to change."

_But everything else..._

* * *

Hermione walked the length of the tent in search of a certain wizard in black but, to her disappointment, found none. Sighing and slouching her shoulders, she surveyed the dance floor, where the majority of the guests had congregated, including her daughters, each of whom she spotted amongst the jiving, lively crowd. Lily and James danced in the center of everyone, whilst Scorpius Malfoy twirled Surina and Hailey was led about by Albus. All were huddled close together, however, laughing and smiling and clearly enjoying themselves.

The only Snape missing from the group was Hermione's youngest, and, seeing as Severus was also nowhere to be found, a smile morphed across Hermione's face. She had an inkling what _that_ meant.

Without scanning the room a second time, she turned on her heel, exited the tent, and headed in the direction of the back of the house. _Just as I suspected_, she soon found herself thinking.

An outline of her husband and daughter sitting together on the patio came into view, thanks to a series of hanging torches that decorated the lawn. Jeannie waved cheerfully to her mother as she strolled over to join them. Severus also turned his head from where he was comfortably reclining on an outdoor chaise, with Jeannie seated on the edge and talking animatedly to him; that was, until Hermione came strolling over.

"Hey, Mum!" Jeannie greeted happily, offering Hermione a merry smile like always.

Hermione climbed the few steps onto the patio and leaned over the wooden railing, shaking her head mainly at her husband. "What are you two plotting this time?"

Severus craned his neck to peer up at her through slits for eye. "Who said anything about plotting?"

Hermione didn't retort but did roll her eyes. "I see you're purposely avoiding the dance floor?"

Severus's eyes glistened before they tore themselves away from her. "I've indulged you and the girls in a number of dances. I kept my end of the bargain."

"Oh, very well," Hermione chuckled, as did Jeannie, whom she directed her attention towards. "And what are _you_ doing out here, love?"

"Giving my feet a break," Jeannie giggled, kicking up her toes before adding, "and ensuring that Dad isn't over here sulking and being too unpleasant."

Hermione smiled warmly, catching the frown that surfaced along Severus's mouth. "I'm doing nothing of the sort," he insisted through a delicate hiss.

"Well, I wasn't going to leave you to mope in peace," Jeannie challenged. She gave the wizard a soft, unspoken regard that her mother and father well understood. "If it wasn't me coming to bugger you, it would've been Surina or someone else, you know."

"You did the right thing, Jeannie," Hermione whispered, her voice gentle and encouraging. She and her youngest shared a silent exchange that Severus didn't quite follow. Then the fourth Snape jumped up and placed her high heels back on her feet.

"If I ever get married, I'll _never_ make my sisters wear these godawful shoes!" Withdrawing her wand, Jeannie set to magically making her swollen feet mold more comfortably into said heels.

Severus, however, was distracted by his daughter's comment rather than her discomfort. "You make sure that _that_ doesn't happen any time soon, understood?"

He took his glass of...something—Hermione wasn't sure what it was—to his lips before setting it down on a nearby table, his mouth cast in a troubled frown. Jeannie merely snickered down at him.

"Dad, I'm not old enough to get married!"

"All the same," he mumbled, determinedly not returning her gaze. A muscle in his cheek twitched as he stared adamantly at the glass of alcohol and not at Hermione or his littlest.

Jeannie's smile lessened a little but didn't falter. Quickly exchanging another sympathetic look with Hermione, Jeannie sighed, waltzed over to where Severus sat in silence and sweetly kissed the top of his head. One of the wizard's hands snatched up the girl's to squeeze it appreciatively before he relinquished his grasp. Jeannie quietly hugged Hermione and then set off to rejoin the party without another word.

Hermione, who had crossed her arms and was thoughtfully staring down at her husband, now mute and withdrawn, finally moved from her perch to recline next to him on the chaise. Severus shifted to make room and draped an arm over her bare shoulder, but he otherwise focused on his half empty glass, which he had retaken in his hands and swiveled about, getting lost in watching the contents spin.

Hermione leaned back and let her head rest against his shoulder. "Severus?" she pressed after a time.

"Mmm?" he returned, still not meeting her eyes.

"You did very well today."

Severus dismissed her observation with a soft snort and took another swig of his glass. "Did I?" he questioned, his voice laden with skepticism.

"Yes, _very_ well. I know it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy for any of us... But you did have _fun_, didn't you?"

Severus finally turned his head, a crease lining the center of his forehead. "Of course I did. Just because it's painful doesn't mean I haven't accepted it, Hermione."

"I know..." Hermione unconsciously traced a few of the buttons along Severus's chest. "We knew this day was coming, didn't we?"

Severus swallowed, his expression blank, though something stirred behind the black eyes. "Yes, we did."

"You know, a couple times I..." Hermione paused, suddenly finding it difficult to speak. "I looked at Lily and saw our little girl. I kept thinking back to her first words, her first steps, the way she'd always play with my hair or hide under your cloak. For whatever reason, it...it _finally_ hit me today that she's truly all grown up."

By the end of her confession, Hermione had to avert her eyes to wipe a few tears away. She sniffed and was wordlessly comforted by her husband's arms, which coiled themselves more tightly around her, bringing her snug to his chest. She stifled a few soft cries into his chest before going quiet, much like him, though she knew he was experiencing the same mixed emotions that ranged from sorrow to joy and everything in between. He didn't need to convey his sentiments in words. She had seen glimpses of it all day long, whether through a tight-lipped, saddened look or a stammering betrayal of his normally strong voice.

After several minutes of uninterrupted silence, except for the music and energy that trickled over to them from the nearby tent, Hermione suddenly reared around when Lily appeared on the patio, as if out of nowhere. She hovered by the steps, surveying her parents closely.

"What are you two doing over here?" she questioned, her voice gentle and subdued.

Hermione didn't have time to hide her tears, nor Severus his mirthless expression. Both quickly straightened, however, and tried to put on amiable smiles, but it all seemed rather foolish, really. The somewhat crestfallen expression that befell Lily's face didn't make either of them feel any less guilty for getting caught looking downcast instead of cheerful.

"Oh, just taking a break from all the commotion," Hermione tried to lie, not catching Severus roll his eyes behind her.

Lily giggled quietly. "Mum, no tears, all right? _Neither of you._"

"I was just..." Hermione squirmed and peered at her husband for assistance, but the only conveyance he returned was one of surrender. "Oh, very well, fine!" she huffed and wiped furiously at her eyes. "I can't help myself, all right?"

Lily sauntered over to both to take a seat on the edge of the chaise where Jeannie had previously been. She gazed at her parents with sympathy, even though she suspected her father, for one, wouldn't appreciate her obvious concerns.

"Are you happy for me?" she whispered, which startled them both.

Hermione reached out to quickly grasp Lily's hand. "Yes, _of course_ we are, sweetie!"

Lily returned Hermione's reassurance with a small smile and turned her steady gaze to her father. "And you, Dad? Are you happy for me?"

Severus wasn't as swift to answer. However, he nodded complacently, several limp hairs cascading forward around his face.

"Yes, Lily, I'm happy if you're happy."

"I _am_ happy, Dad."

"Very well. Then I am, too."

Slowly, Lily extended her arm to gather her father's hand in hers, holding onto both of her parent's hands this time. "Listen, I know why you're both emotional. I also know that you wish me well, too, and want the best for me. _I'm still who I am, though._ That isn't going to change. And..." Lily gave Severus's hand a squeeze, sensing what the close-minded wizard was thinking. "And I won't be far away. I'll be right down the street from you!" She forced a wider, fetching grin. "So, no more despairing, all right?"

Hermione suddenly hustled forward to throw her arms around Lily's neck, catching her daughter off guard; but she wrapped her arms around her mother and allowed the witch a moment to cry on her shoulder.

"Lily, you misunderstand," Hermione insisted through her persistent sniveling. "We're _very_ happy for you, love. _Honest_. Please know that?"

Lily softly laughed into her mother's ear. "I know you are, Mum. You're just being an emotional basket case, that's all."

Hermione reared back to scoop Lily's face in her hands, and the two shared a private, tearful laugh as Severus looked on, reserving his mask of uncertainty. When the moment between his wife and daughter passed, Lily moved closer to him, compressing his hand tighter.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Dad," she urged as gently as possible, still smiling but with mounting concern, "or else I'll worry about you."

"I'm fine, Lily; or I'll..." He paused to take a deep breath, feeling that unnerving hitch in the back of his throat. "I'll be fine."

"You'd better be!"

Severus's mouth parted into a grim scowl, and the fingers intertwined with Lily's fidgeted and started to quiver against his will. "You will..." he started and stopped, needing a moment to recompose his question. "You will still come and see us from time to time, won't you?"

Lily's face fell at that disarming question, a heartbreaking awareness about what was troubling her father dawning on her at last. "'From time to time'?" she repeated, firmly shaking her head. "Oh, Dad, I'm right down the road from you! _Of course_ you'll see me all the time! _I promise._"

At that moment, Severus leaned forward to embrace her, his strong arms gripping her as tightly as possible. Lily returned his all-consuming hug with the same conviction, her eyes swelling with tears. Her father wasn't crying, but she knew he was doing his utmost best to maintain his composure.

"Dad, just because you're letting me go doesn't mean I won't be around," she whispered warmly to him, desperate to put his aching heart at ease.

It took a while for the wizard to say anything back. When he finally did, his voice was cracked and hushed, and his black eyes were focused on that of his wife watching them both as he forced the words out, wishing to be reassured one last time. "You'll always be my little girl, Lily," Severus said as steadily as he could manage, feeling his daughter's fingers dig slightly into his back. "_Always..._ Won't you?"

"Of course I will, Dad," Lily returned through an emotional smile, squeezing him tightly as she issued more fiercely into his ear, "and I very damn well _should_ be!"

* * *

**A/N #2: I know our Potions professor isn't much of a cryer, but I would think giving away his daughters would, indeed, be a _very_ emotional experience for him as a father. **

**I hope this piece met people's expectations. Please let me know your thoughts!**


	13. And Another

**A/N: Thank you for all of the lovely feedback on the last one-shot. I'm thrilled (and relieved) that it met people's expectations. It's really good to hear.**

**I've had this one-shot written for some time but it's needed some serious tweaking and editing, none of which I could bring myself to accomplish until today. I'm still heavily struggling to write, so I can't vouch for how quickly future updates will come, but please know that I _am_ trying to work on these prompts when I can, and when the Muse is willing; he hasn't been around for some time, and I wish I could find a way to bribe him but, alas... If you're still here and still sticking with me,_ thank you for reading and believing in my fickle Muse. _**

**Lastly, but not least of all, a Happy Father's Day to all the great daddies out there, including a certain _UL!_Severus, who is, for me, one of the best snarky dads around. :)  
**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**And Another**

_Severus is slightly jolted by unexpected pregnancy news._

_(Prompt from **notyetanotheralias**, who asked for Severus's reaction to Hermione's second or third pregnancies. I chose both for this one.)_

* * *

Severus lay beside Lily on a shag carpet before the fireplace, his index finger tightly gripped around his daughter's hand. She stared up at him through curiously alert, widened eyes, mimicking the contortions his mouth made when he softly spoke to her in that purr-like voice that could be either soothing or threatening, depending upon who was on the receiving end of the wizard's adoration or wrath. There were no threats to be made in the case of the little witch, however. Her father relished such small, intimate moments such as these, too much so to be his normally scowling self.

Working at Hogwarts left his time with his family limited. Whatever opportunities presented themselves to pop back round to see Hermione and interact with Lily, however, was a gladly welcomed retreat to Severus's normally stress-filled routine. This evening was quickly proving to be one of those sought-after moments.

Severus brought Lily's tiny hand to his lips, pecking it gently several times as he softly smiled down at her; a smile unrecognizable to most, subtle as it was, but still tender and admiring. Lily cooed in response, her whimsical noises warming the dark wizard's heart. No one would ever have known how affecting the child was on him, save for his wife, but all the same, nights like these made putting off the endless piles of paperwork that awaited him at Hogwarts well worth the expense.

It was difficult to fathom that his daughter's first birthday would be upon them in a matter of months. How quickly time was passing;—_Too quickly_, Severus lamented to himself—or was it his being separated from the little witch and his Hermione that made time speed up, teasing him for all the moments he was sourly missing out on?

Severus found himself suddenly glowering at the thought, but when he noted Lily doing so as well, he evaporated that disgruntled, somewhat frightening look of his, not wishing to upset his daughter. She looked to be on the verge of tears, and Severus quickly scooted closer to whisper contented words close to Lily's face, his finger slipping out of her grasp to tickle her chin. Lily broke out into shrills of giggles—laughter that would lighten the most miserable sod's disposition, including a certain black-haired, surly wizard sprawled out at her side, eying the small being with a protective intensity that was both comforting and oddly sweet.

Lily stretched out her arms to grab hold of Severus's face, her dainty fingers brushing his pointed nose, the cupid's bow of his mouth, and the slight stubble on his chin he hadn't seen fit to rid himself of yet. Severus returned her touch with equal affection, kissing her hands and pretending to devour them whole, thereby making her squeal with more unabated laughter.

Severus was aware of the witch at the opposite end of the sitting room watching him but pretended not to notice, even as Hermione silently tiptoed into the room to lay down on the other side of their daughter. Her smiling eyes reflected off of the crackling fireplace, catching Severus's gaze. Her head came to rest in her hand with an all-knowing smirk stretched across her face, stopping him short.

"Having fun?" she goaded, almost drunk with contentedness at the sight of her husband's attentiveness and their daughter's quiet giggling.

"Immensely," he intoned, keeping the lines of his features straight.

Hermione gave in and chuckled. Her eyes drifted from the unconventionally handsome man before her to the tiny witch wedged between them and back again, a hand eventually finding purchase against Lily's leg. Her smile lessened a little, but not enough to concern Severus—at least, not at first.

"Severus, I... I have something to tell you."

"Oh?" Severus's eyebrows rose, but his eyes had diverted back to Lily, who continued to gently paw at his nose and mouth.

"Yes... Um..."

Hermione paused. A mixture of excitement and hesitancy to present the news she had recently found out was on the tip of her tongue, and had been for nearly two days. It wasn't at all like her to keep secrets from Severus; she despised doing so, but, really,_ this_ information needed to come out when he was at least sitting down, unburdened by stress or irritability.

Hermione sucked in a nervous breath and finally blurted out what she had been dying to share, "I'm pregnant, love."

Severus, in the midst of pretending to eat Lily's fingers again, halted what he was doing to stare long and hard at his wife. He didn't so much as blink as he studied Hermione's angst-ridden expression, his mouth falling open in rare form. It was as though his bookworm wife had just informed him that she no longer worshipped the written word. Only, she hadn't told him that. _ She had said she was pregnant._

At first, Hermione bit her lip, but then her nerves dissipated into amused laughter. "Merlin, Severus, should I pinch you to make sure you haven't turned to stone?"

Severus made a grunting noise but, somehow, words still escaped his grasp. _Pregnant? Again? Another one?_ his mind struggled to process. Eventually, he blinked and shifted onto his side, turning to face his glowing wife fully. And she_ was_ glowing, in that mesmerizing manner that only a pregnant female can. His mouth was still limp as he stared across the small gap that divided them.

"You're..." Unable to bring himself yet to repeat the words, his eyes merely searched hers. "Are you certain?"

"Yes, Severus, I'm certain," she returned collectedly, giving the wizard time to process the news.

"How... How long have you known?"

Hermione surveyed their daughter for a pause before her soft gaze fell back to him. "About two days."

Severus's eyes narrowed, just as Hermione suspected. "And you didn't tell me till now?"

"I was in shock, Severus! I didn't want to stress you out during the work week either. You were coming home tonight; therefore, I waited."

"I see..."

Hating the break that followed, not to mention the unnerving tension in the atmosphere, Hermione inched closer. "Please tell me what you're thinking?" She added, in the hopes that it might alleviate some of the troubles she could detect brewing in Severus's eyes, "Remember what we discussed about names and—"

"Yes, but that was intended for several years _away_, Hermione. Not... Not _now_."

Hermione found the strange flicker in those obsidian irises disturbing, enough so that she instantly reached out a hand to clasp his. "You're upset, aren't you?" she asked, the frown that had formed on her mouth deepening. "Oh, I should've known you'd react this way. I've gone from excitement to crying since I found out, and I don't know what—"

"Hermione, stop." Severus's tone was firm but hushed. He took in a shaky breath before replying, "I'm not upset, all right? Shocked, yes, and worried, to be frank, but I... I'm _not_ upset."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, of course." Severus's eyebrows tapered. Realizing his reaction to the news had been rather unbecoming, he squeezed his wife's hand to try to reassure her. "Why would you think I'd be angry?"

Hermione eased her grasp on Severus's hand a little. "I know the kind of stress you've been under, Severus, and, well..."

"That has nothing to do with_ us_, Hermione."

"I know it doesn't, but it _does_ affect your mood sometimes." Hermione's voice mellowed as she continued, "And I don't mean in the usual sense that tension affects a person. For you, it...it's quite different, love. You know that."

Severus slowly turned away from her, privately processing her words, but Hermione held steadfast to his hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze of her own. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, Severus. I... I'm still really stunned myself, but, well..._ I'm pregnant._" Her voice grew unsteady, a tearful, yet joyful, smile resurfacing that gave the stunned wizard pause. "We're going to give Lily a sibling."

To this, Severus couldn't prevent the slither of a smile that emerged. _Another one of these?_ he considered in awe, peering down at Lily in wonderment. _So soon?_

Severus wasn't aware that, in very un-Slytherin-like form, his shock, joy, and apprehensions were quite decipherable to his wife at the moment. He didn't catch Hermione wiping at her eyes, only when she retook possession of his hand in hers and glimpsed at the faltering happiness her eyes took.

"Please..." she implored quietly, choking back on her words. "Please tell me you're happy for us?"

Severus's eyes fluttered, completely unraveled by such a remark. He could make out the stress lines forming on Hermione's features, aware that they weren't from taking care of their daughter, or the sleepless nights such care taking for a child brought, particularly without a second pair of hands to assist, but from how concerned she had been about _him_. From the overwhelming stresses of his job, his looming health problems, the bouts of sickness that sometimes plagued such family get-togethers, it was clear that Hermione was anxious as to how this news might negatively affect him, more than anything else, and it was an additional surprise Severus was unprepared for. Between an intense work week and his own physical limitations, Hermione was evidently worried that he would take the news far worse than he had. Determined to put Hermione's mind at ease, Severus reached out a hand, which was somewhat cold to the touch, and delicately rubbed her tears away, making sure to look deep into her worried eyes as he did so.

"I _am_ happy, Hermione. Forgive me. I... I can hardly believe it. I wasn't expecting to come home to such news but," he paused to stare down affectionately at Lily once more, his understated smile widening, "it's wonderful news, _truly._"

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief but continued to regard him seriously. "I know why you're concerned, Severus. I have mine, too, believe me, but... It _is_ rather exciting, isn't it?"

Seeing the hopefulness in those warm, enriching eyes, Severus didn't have the heart to not play to her emotions. After all, this was supposed to be an exciting moment for parents-to-be, and, as far as he was concerned, it shouldn't be undermined by the grim circumstance for which he and Hermione found themselves in. Thus, instead of letting the moment be snatched away by reality, Severus brought Hermione's hand to his lips to bestow it with a proper kiss, just as he had done so for Lily minutes before.

"Indeed, it is," he purred, making her heart skip a beat. "_It's very exciting._"

The happy couple returned their attention to Lily, only to find the curious little witch had drifted off to sleep in the midst of their conversation, her arms stretched lazily over her head as she snored softly, wedged securely between her parents. "Well," Severus murmured, leaning down to peck his daughter's forehead, "if her sister sleeps as well as she does, this should be a piece of cake."

Hermione couldn't stop the smirk that spread across her cheeks. "Sister?" she baited, enjoying the blush that effaced Severus's cheeks.

"If the Mirror of Erised is anything to go by, and unless Merlin chooses to give me a bloody break," he snarled, tightening his jaw but in a teasing fashion, "then it will, in all likelihood, be a girl."

Hermione lost it; she covered her mouth to keep from snickering too loudly, for fear of waking their sleeping child. "You're hopeless, Severus Snape! And don't think you can trick me into thinking you wouldn't delight in another little girl skipping about this house."

_No_, Severus reflected internally, though he was certain his wife could sense his innermost thoughts, _of course I wouldn't object..._

Severus returned her jest with a playful sneer, which only made Hermione cackle harder. She hunched over their sleeping little one to cradle her in her arms, but not before Severus craned his neck to offer one last bedtime kiss. He didn't catch his wife's appreciation as she watched the tender exchange between father and daughter, knowing in the back of her mind that, despite her own trepidations, her husband was far happier about the prospect of a second child then he had let on.

_Two little girls_, her mind pondered warmly before she had to fight back another burst of laughter as she took Lily up to bed. _Poor, dear Severus._

* * *

Hermione finished magically cleansing the dishes and stocking them away when the echo of loud shrieks and cackling reached her ears. Smiling humorously, she turned around to find an exasperated Severus dragging his boots into the kitchen, but he wasn't alone. Two small children, one with fair hair and one with dark locks like him, were strapped to his legs, refusing to let go and hanging onto the wizard as if he were a broomstick to ride.

"Girls, _enough_," he snarled, huffing his way into the room whilst hauling a two-year-old Lily and one-year-old Surina with him. He turned to Hermione, most desperate for some support. "They've been fastened to my ankles for nearly an hour," he hissed, throwing out his hands to convey the direness of the situation.

As the wizard suspected, Hermione didn't help matters by proceeding to laugh, staring down at their daughters with nothing less than encouragement. "Having fun, you two?" she added, snickering at the glare Severus shot at her.

Surina bound her arms tighter around Severus's right leg. "_Move!_" she insisted, beaming up at him and bouncing on the toe of his dragon hide boot. "Move, Daddy! Mush!"

"_Mush?_" Severus all but growled down at her. Lily had been echoing that phrase for the past hour that it would seem the littlest had picked up on it as well.

"Yes, Daddy!" Lily also insisted, giggling up at him. "Mush! Mush!"

With another aggravated sigh, Severus thrust his legs forward, and the girls' shrills of laughter started all over again, squealing with delight at being dragged about on the ground. Once he reached the sink, where Hermione stood teasing him with an amused smile, Severus halted his efforts, taking a moment to stare down his hooked nose at her in a manner that was no longer intimidating or harsh, though he still tried his utmost to garner such a reaction at times.

"I think you two should hop on your mother's legs," he suggested, the sliver of a smirk forming when Hermione smacked his arm.

"Oh, no you don't! Besides, I have something to tell you."

"As you can see, I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment."

Severus nodded towards the ground, speaking louder in an effort to be heard over the little witches' ceaseless laughter. Finally, he reached down to pry their tiny arms from around his trousers, and the two girls whined in protect as their father tugged them rather effortlessly to their feet; but Severus set to appeasing their disappointment by unfastening his long cloak and throwing it over top of the tiny tots, who barely rose to his knees.

Two small lumps shrieked excitedly and shuffled about underneath the cloak, trying to find their way out of said heavy material. When they emerged, their hair tousled with playful grins stretched from ear to ear, Lily and Surina tried to seize it from one another, wrestling about in a game of tug of war. Using the cloak as a decoy proved to be a small bit of brilliance on Severus's part, for the girls dragged it out of the kitchen, each bellyaching to have it for themselves.

"What was that you were saying?" Severus prodded once Lily and Surina were out of sight.

Hermione sportively laughed and allowed her wizard to draw closer, wrapping one hand around her waist. "Watch those hands, Mister."

Severus, who had leaned in to taunt her with an enticing kiss to her neck, paused to narrow his eyes. "Not in the mood?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "_Now?_"

"No, next week, witch," he deadpanned through a low growl, his voice suddenly heavy with lust.

Hermione was caught off her guard as her eager husband's opposite hand came to rest around her midsection, easing her into his chest so that she couldn't wiggle herself free. At first, Hermione didn't mind, caught up in the moment and feeling rather playful herself; that was, until she remembered that she had something rather dire to break to the dark-haired man now kissing every inch of her neck, leaving warm, shiver-inducing sensations all over her body.

_No, not there_, she fleetingly thought when Severus proceeded to lightly bite her ear, but, alas, the rest of her was quite reactive to that sensitive spot. "_Severus!_" Hermione gasped, attempting to reel him in and regain some control. "Stop it! The girls—"

"They'll be preoccupied with that ruddy cloak for a while." He set to recapturing her neck in haste, ignoring her breathless pleas to cease.

"How do _you_ know they won't come tromping in here in the next two minutes?"

"Just a quickie!" Severus insisted, pinching her firm backside and causing the startled witch to yelp.

"You're helpless!" she giggled against his mouth. "Cut it out, you! I have something important to tell you!"

Severus reared back, eying her over with fresh suspicion. "Something tells me I'm not going to be in the mood after this..."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Depends on how you look at it."

Severus arched an eyebrow. "Go on," he coaxed, waiting.

"Erm, well..." Hermione's cheeks took on a brighter flush of red. "I know we didn't _plan_ on it, per say... Heck, we haven't even discussed the prospect of another...um, well..." She abruptly cut herself off, seeing the flicker of panic that emerged in those colorless eyes.

"Merlin, don't tell me," Severus whispered, his mouth having gone dry. "Are you..."

His eyes trailed down to her stomach and back up to her face, where he found confirmation in Hermione's brightened expression. Slowly, she nodded and pressed down on her lower lip.

"Yes, I - I am. I decided to test myself this morning since I was late."

The children's laughter trickled in from the sitting room, otherwise filling the tense-filled silence that stretched out for what seemed like ages. During that time, Severus could only stare back at his wife in shock, though Hermione's face morphed from trepidation to anxiety to downright concern by the unnerving quietude.

"Severus?" she prodded in a strained, hushed voice. "Please say something."

"I..."

"Are you upset?"

"Upset?" he responded, his eyelids fluttering. "I've barely had a moment to process the fact that you're _pregnant_, Hermione. How could I be upset?"

"Oh..."

With a weighty sigh, Severus tugged Hermione back to his chest and wrapped his arms around the now troubled witch, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry. I... I truly don't know what to say—yet. I'm stunned."

"It's just like we saw in the mirror, though." She paused, cautiously peering up at him, as if that comment were some sort of viable explanation. "You remember?"

"Yes, of course I remember, Hermione, but..."

"But what, love?" Hermione reared back to look deep into Severus's eyes that now appeared hesitant and unsure.

"_So soon?_" he finished quietly.

Hermione allowed a small, heartfelt smile to curl the edges of her mouth. "I know. It _is_ rather quick—"

"_Quick?_" His darks eyes flashed like a wildfire. "Surina's only a year old! And Lily's barely two!"

Hermione chuckled softly, her smile stretching in spite of her husband's overt reservations. "_I know, Severus._ You think I haven't considered that? I didn't bend over and get myself pregnant, you know! _You_ had something to do with it, Mister!" Severus's cheeks blushed profusely and his mouth clamped shut, silenced by the witch's hefty words; but Hermione merely snickered and thoughtfully brushed away stray hairs from his reddened face. "It's not ideal timing either, I know, love, but, well..." She gazed down lovingly at her stomach and rubbed it with a certain conviction that secretly made Severus's breath stall. "It's a blessing, all the same. Don't you think?"

Severus struggled to reply. "I... Well, _yes_, of course it is but..."

At that moment, Surina and Lily suddenly reemerged—the dark-haired tot wrapped, or engulfed rather, in her father's cloak whilst Lily held up the back end, as if it were some kind of a train. Hermione burst into laughter and beamed down at the pair of them.

"What are you doing, little ones?"

"Surina getting married!" Lily explained, pointing to the large cloak that seemed to be swallowing Surina whole. The only viewable part of her was her head, as the rest was buried beneath the stark material.

Severus raised a befuddled eyebrow. "In my cloak?"

"Yes, Daddy!" Surina smiled up at her parents proudly, earning more pleasant laughter from her mother.

Severus's lookalike came pounding over to him, along with Lily, and he immediately reached down to scoop her into his arms, whilst Lily leaped into Hermione's embrace. Hermione watched the angst and uncertainty thaw from Severus's disposition as he held their second daughter close, wrapping her securely around him with both arms. It put her mind and heart at ease to see him less angst-ridden then he had been mere moments ago. The news was jolting, to be sure, and not without its share of concerns, but, for now, Hermione couldn't have been happier, surrounded by her family with the prospect of another addition in their future.

Surina threw an arm around her father's neck, continuing to keep his cloak woven around her little being as much as possible. Severus turned considerately from the child to his wife and eldest daughter, the faint trail of a smile mapping its way across his mouth and replacing the worrying frown that had been there before.

"Lily, Surina," he addressed the girls softly, in an affectionate tone that mirrored his body language as he snuggled his face against Surina's, "how would you feel about having another sister or brother?"

The two witches eyed their father curiously at first, not truly comprehending the weight of his question. Surina pointed to Lily and grimaced, her features heavily concentrated.

"Another Lily?" she asked curiously, to which Hermione and Severus both nodded their heads. Surina's button nose scrunched up, and when her emphatic response came, it wasn't pleasant but, to her parents, it was certainly humoring and very much like the young tot. "_No_," she replied moodily.

Lily, on the other hand, clapped her hands with enthusiasm. "Yes, yes! Another sister!" She shot her younger sibling a glare that would rival Severus's, however. "One who's _not_ like Surina, though!"

Hermione completely lost her composure, but Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head in defeat. He bundled Surina closer and reached out a hand to encase Lily's much smaller palm as well. Then he locked eyes on his beaming wife last, his sharp look easing at the receiving of her attractive smile.

"Do we _really_ intend to have another one of these buggers hollering and screeching and carrying on about the house?"

It wasn't a serious question, though, and Hermione knew it; she could see how smitten the wizard was behind the sly smirk he bore to cover his tracks, as well as the subtle delight in his eyes, particularly when he looked upon his two daughters with such care and devotion as to, an outsider, not to be believed.

Hermione shook her head as well and leaned in to receive an affectionate kiss from her husband, one that would seal the exciting news for the entire Snape family and act as a form of celebration. "Yes, love," she giggled, amused, her cheeks emitting a mother-to-be glow that left him breathless. "_Believe it._ There will be another one of these little ones here before you know it."

In truth, Severus was still quite staggered by the thought of another child. And yet, surveying the two little witches before him, his heart swelled with pride. Perhaps no one would have sensed that fatherly affection, that fierce devotedness, or the sheer force with which Severus Snape regarded his children, but _he_ could very well sense it washing over him and taking hold; it was not only an unfailing love for the two daughters he had but also for the third baby that was soon to join them.

A pair of miniature fingers touched Severus's cheeks and the tip of his large nose, pining for his undivided attention. Severus scrutinized the petite creature in his arms before pretending to devour her neck with kisses. Surina squealed with joy and tried to pull away, but to no avail.

"Very well," Severus concluded, swallowing his reservations and, instead, focusing on the immense bliss of it all. "I'll take another one of these." He snarled—contentedly—and continued to 'munch' on Surina's flesh, whilst the rest of his family looked on with equal humor and delight.

* * *

**A/N #2: I was determined to get this one-shot posted for Father's Day, even if the writing/editing portion killed me without having a Muse to rely on, so I hope you enjoyed it! **

**It's been a tough several weeks not being able to write, so please let me know your thoughts. They bring me so much joy. Thank you!**


	14. A Father's Attempt

**A/N: A silly, fun one-shot for you this time. Well, hopefully it's funny and silly, as that was the point! Enjoy!  
**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**A Father's Attempt**

_Severus tries to aid Hailey in a most dire moment of need._

_(Prompt from **onecelestialbeing**, who asked for a one-shot in which Severus has to help Hailey do her hair. Hopefully you'll find some humor and a break from all the angst in this one!)_

* * *

"Hailey, hold still!"

"I'm trying, Dad! _OUCH!_"

Severus rolled his eyes and dropped the brush from his hand into his lap. "All I did was take your ruddy hair tie out!"

"_Pull_ is more like it!" his third daughter snapped, her eyes staring him down through a large mirror that hung in her bedroom. The dark wizard seated on his knees behind her met Hailey's challenging, sharp look with a glare of his own.

"You asked for my help, Hailey."

"I didn't know you were going to torture me to death!"

Severus hissed and bore his teeth in frustration. "And what did you expect? This isn't my area of expertise!"

"_I know that, Dad!_" she huffed and brushed furiously at a few curls sweeping across her eyes.

"Then hold still and it will go faster!"

Hailey glowered and crossed her arms over her chest—ironically, much like her father was prone to doing. "I wish Mum was here," she grumbled under her breath, more to herself than for Severus to overhear. She rocked back and forth on her bottom, seated cross-legged in front of the mirror, appalled already with how she looked, and Severus had barely started, though he was already heaping annoyed sighs every time she flinched or scooted away from him and that wretched brush.

Hailey's hair was truly looking a sight for sore eyes, though, so it was little wonder that her expression was so sour. In fact, to the poor, disgruntled nine year old, it had never seemed worse than it did in this dire moment of need. Not that she would have been able to accomplish much more on her own, she knew, and she had to hand it to her father for at least attempting to fix her messy mop in Hermione's absence.

Still, it had been with much reluctance that Hailey had sought out his aid at all, with her mother unavailable and her patience having worn thin on trying to correct it herself. Most begrudgingly, she had sought out her father in desperation, but she was already starting to lament that painful decision.

Before doing so, the normally clever young witch had thrown it up into a frizzy ponytail, only to receive a mouthful from Hermione, who was on her way into the fireplace and about to take her leave via the Floo Network. "Oh, Hailey," she scolded as calmly as possible, "you _need_ to learn how to mend it yourself."

"I don't care!"

"I know you don't care, sweetie, but soon enough you _will_, and you won't have me around to fix it for you at every turn."

"_Fine!_" she had scoffed in defeat and stormed off in the direction of her room, brush in hand and with a fierce determination to tackle her furious knots,—_So help me, Merlin!_—even if it meant her scalp might bleed.

That determination had deteriorated rather quickly, however, by which time Hermione was off helping Ginny decorate for her son's (Albus) upcoming birthday party at the Burrow, which the Snape family would all be attending later that evening. Hailey had been left to sort through her hair on her own and cursed herself for not having a wand handy. She wasn't of age yet and, even if she hated charms, she would gladly cast one right about now. Only, when she had finally gone to Severus for help, the idea of _him_ using a disentangling charm on her hair evaporated rather quickly, too.

"No charms, Dad!"

Severus had looked at her as though she had asked him to wear a pink jumper. "What?"

Hailey held up the brush in her hand. "Brush 'em out, please?" she beseeched, her brown eyes enlarged and imploring as they stared up into his. "Mum has some hairsprays and products in her room she also uses to tame them."

Severus continued to ogle the child apprehensively. "You want _me_ to do your hair, Hailey," he issued slowly, with caution, "and _without_ magic?"

Hailey turned a nauseating shade of white, as did her father in that moment, but, ever as headstrong as her mother, she nodded decidedly and led the way back to her bedroom, where she and Severus presently found themselves, stewing and aggravated and miserable in perfect unison. The more Severus attempted to unbundle Hailey's knots by hand or with the brush, the frizzier and more maddening her curls became, expanding against her head as if she had stuck her fingers in an electric box, or perhaps perched herself on top of a power line.

Hailey's critical frown spoke volumes; Severus didn't need the pouting witch to convey to him just how much of a botched up job he was doing. _She asked for it!_ he stubbornly argued, though to himself alone.

Prone to tangled knots because she despised dealing with her hair much at all, the third Snape loathed having them righted and, most of the time, opted for running from her mother at every turn. Growing up, if Hermione so much as approached Hailey with a comb in her hand or worse, her wand at the ready, Hailey spun around and fled in the opposite direction, well-aware of what was in store. She could remember as a child screaming and crying when Hermione set to disentangling each individual strand. Normally, her mother resorted to a charm to make the process as quick as possible, but Hailey could still recall that god-awful, jolting sensation that hit her when the spell was cast; the nauseating feeling of every individual strand from her very roots being yanked and stretched, as though they were going to be pulled straight out of her head. The magic was swift and the problem was solved, but not without causing Hailey to yowl in the process.

Thus, she despised hair charms for correcting her bushy mane, instead opting for the still painful, albeit less forceful, Muggle tactics for correcting her frizzy, knotty hair troubles. Judging from the current state of things, however, and with no more thanks to her father, Hailey was having second thoughts about going to Albus's birthday party after all.

"This would be ten times faster if you'd let me use a spell!" Severus decided to irritably remind her at that very moment.

Hailey narrowed her eyes in defiance. "_No_, Dad."

Severus met her hardheadedness with a low growl. "Then don't mope and complain about it hurting."

"But it _does!_"

"_You_ asked for it!"

"You're too forceful!"

"How else shall I untangle all of your knots in time for the party?" Exasperated, Severus held out the brush to her, dangling it in front of Hailey's face. "Would you care to fix it yourself? Be my guest."

"No," she mumbled and shied away from his suggestion, going quiet at long last.

Slowly, and with a weary sigh, Severus continued fighting Hailey's unruly hair, a scowl in place that his daughter briefly pondered might never wash away after this experience, judging by his level of frustration as to what to do. Severus had never been the one to fix any of his children's hair, or use beautifying techniques of any kind in the past. That had been entirely left to Hermione's doing, and gladly. _What the bloody hell do_ I _know about sprays and gels and fixing the poor girl's hair?_ he had questioned all the way up the stairs that led to Hailey's room. Getting them dressed when they were little was one thing, but _this_ was something else entirely.

From that point on, Hailey did her best to remain silent, but it was a difficult task for sure. An occasional "_Ouch!_" still mouthed its way out from time to time, earning her more muffled growling from Severus, who kept going and did his best not to glimpse at the visual confirmation of his daughter's discomfort and disappointment in his efforts.

After nearly an hour of trying to brush out Hailey's knots, Severus found a new dilemma before him: Hailey's hair was expanded to its maximum size and standing every different direction imaginable. Sheepishly, he chanced a quick glance at his daughter through the mirror, only to find her frown deeper than ever, conveying silently how displeased she was with her appearance.

Grunting awkwardly, Severus set to examining the hair products Hailey had snatched from Hermione's vanity and laid down beside them on the floor, only to find himself brought up short. There were several different kinds of sprays and gels and, as far as he was concerned, they all looked the same. Was he to use them all or just one or two? Hell, he _never_ dealt with hair products whatsoever, so what did he know about this sort of thing? Not that he didn't know the general purpose that they served, but, without practice, he didn't anticipate being able to do much better on his daughter with any one of them. Thus, he turned to Hailey for guidance, who seemed to comprehend his concerned thoughts without him echoing them aloud.

"Use the gel first," Hailey explained, nodding towards a green bottle beside Severus's right thigh. "That one, there. Mum uses it to lessen the frizz."

Reluctantly, Severus did as Hailey instructed and squirted the gel into her hair, hissing when some of it proceeded to drip directly onto his trousers. It was also a rather unpleasant texture and seemed to stick more to his fingers rather than Hailey's hair, but Severus tried not to sneer too unpleasantly. After all, although he had managed to undo most of Hailey's knots, her hair looked truly unsightly—even to him, a wizard who _never_ took issue with such trivial matters as a person's appearance—and, in part, thanks to him; so, Severus was more determined than ever to remedy his portion of the problem and make his daughter as pleased as he could manage.

His attempts seemed to be for naught, however. The more he scrunched the gel through Hailey's curls, the more mangled her tresses became. He quickly determined that he must have used too much. _But it's getting rid of the damned frizz!_ his conscience tried to encourage, albeit not well enough. He wasn't quite sure if it was an improvement from the girl's previous state but, appraising Hailey's reaction, things weren't looking up.

"You've used too much," she confirmed quietly, blushing from what he could only assume was embarrassment at her reflection in the mirror.

Severus refrained from rolling his eyes, more aggravated with his own blunder than with Hailey's validation. Working furiously, he began brushing through her curls with the brush once more, trying to loosen the now matted down curls as much as possible. It seemed to marginally improve things.

Unsure of how else to remedy the situation, though, Severus picked up the closest hairspray within reach and began dispersing the contents everywhere, his arms moving gracefully but in a wild motion around Hailey's head.

_This is ridiculous!_ he fretted, clamping his mouth shut lest he start cursing under his breath in front of his daughter.

"Hailey," he muttered through gritted teeth, after enduring her critical scowl for far too long, "_please_, for the love of Merlin, let me use a spell!"

Hailey let out a prolonged sigh and unlocked her legs so that she could prop herself onto her knees. She turned around to face her father, who now appeared beyond stressed and discouraged. The whiff of hairspray that accompanied her as she turned around assaulted Severus's nostrils and made him cringe outright, particularly after taking in her disappointed pout. The poor girl looked a right mess thanks to him—her bushy mop now a hodgepodge of too much gel, hairspray, and mangled curls.

"It's all right, Dad," she unexpectedly replied, though her expression seemed to convey a different message. "I think I'll just let Mum fix it when we get there."

Severus's dark eyes flashed with concern. "You want to go to the party as is?" He would have felt guilty for even hinting at nixing the idea if he wasn't downright frustrated and determined to fix the problem—somehow—before letting her, and himself, off the hook.

Hailey slowly nodded her head, but it was clear to the sharp wizard that she would have much rather hopped into the nearest closet and hide from the world than go to her friend's party looking as she did.

Severus cocked his head, surveying her thoughtfully for a long moment. "How about I use a Glamour?" he suggested, praying the girl would finally consent.

As much as he detested Glamours in general—_Why cover up who you are?_ had long been his rationale—he had had it with trying to implement Muggle techniques to make his daughter happy. If she wouldn't let him fix the mess he had added to by way of a hair spell, at least he could temporarily cover his blunders by making Hailey feel less self-conscious and more self-assured again.

Hailey reared back and bit her lower lip, visibly showcasing her nerves, much in the same manner as Hermione often did. "Won't it hurt?" she questioned, the suspicion in her voice mirroring her tight expression.

Severus emphatically shook his head and reached out to gently touch her shoulder. "No, not at all, sweetheart. It'll act as a temporary cover. I won't pull at your hair either, I promise. I'll simply do what I can with what we've got. If you still want your mother to fix it at the party, she can do so; or she can take care of it when you get home. Either way, it'll last the entirety of the party, if that's what you want?"

Hailey's eyes lit up with excitement. "_Yes, please!_" she exclaimed and swiftly turned around, eagerly awaiting Severus to get a move on.

With a small smirk, Severus withdrew his wand from his pocket and began uttering several Glamour incantations. To Hailey's utter delight (and relief), the hair on her head transformed before her eyes. Her tangled, thick curls became airy and light, her normally bushy strands uncrinkled and softened, and there was hardly any pain felt as her father worked his magic. In fact, the end result so resembled her mother's hair that Hailey grinned from ear to ear.

Although it took him considerable time to get them into proper shape and form, as he was a bit rustic with spells he never used, Severus was painstaking in his efforts to please his daughter and, gratefully, Hailey visibly illustrated her appreciation of the wizard's techniques. It may not have been her father's area of expertise, and even as fast as she knew Severus could conjure and work a spell effectively, Glamouring charms were something altogether unperfected for him, but he managed well enough.

By the time he was through, Severus found a changed, happier demeanor written across his daughter's face, much to his personal satisfaction. Instead of scowling, she was smiling her approval and nearly hopping up and down on her knees.

"Yes, Dad, yes!" she squealed, reaching out a hand to touch her hair, marveling at the smooth texture. "Oh, it looks great! So much better!"

Severus suddenly pierced her in place with a hard stare. "Don't expect your mother or I to do these sort of spells often, understood?"

Hailey's smile waned and she crinkled her nose, confused. "Why not?"

"Because using a Glamour every now and then is fine, but you shouldn't regularly resort to them, Hailey." He leaned closer, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "You're beautiful just as you are, and that's the Hailey I want you to come to appreciate and accept."

Hailey's scrutiny softened in understanding. "Oh... Right. Yes, Dad."

Severus lightly squeezed her shoulder, his own voice lowering in kind. "Don't _ever_ use Glamours to mask who you are, Hailey, all right? This is one night I will allow it, considering how poorly I tried to remedy things for you, but that is why I'm using it. Do you understand?"

Hailey's smile returned in full. "Yes, Dad, I do!"

"Good girl."

Severus finished the back of Hailey's hair and placed his wand back inside his robes. He winced as he finally rose from the floor, having been in a sitting position for so long that his stiff knees nearly gave out on him as he tried to stand up. Watching his daughter gaze excitedly into the mirror, Severus quietly turned away and headed for the door, relieved that the matter was finally resolved.

"I'll wait for you downstairs. You'd best hurry and change. We need to leave soon."

"All right. Oh, Dad!" Hailey called to him before he managed to close her bedroom door. She beamed at him over her shoulder, still stroking her fingers through her much softer, less brushy hair. "Thanks!"

Severus bowed his head. "You're welcome," he returned and shut the door.

* * *

"Merlin, Severus, what on earth..."

Hermione's mouth hung open as she stared, ogle-eyed, at her daughter from across the lawn, who had greeted her briefly before skipping away to join Albus and Hugo Weasley, not giving her mother a chance to question her pretty hair. "Dad did it!" she had chimed before waltzing away, leaving Severus to survey his stunned wife sidelong, soaking in her gaping reaction to his work. He was admittedly quite proud with how the frustrating situation had turned out, all things considering.

"How did you... I mean, _her hair!_" Hermione gasped. She shot the smirking wizard a dark look. "Did you _really_ do that without magic? Tell me the truth!"

Severus arched an eyebrow but offered no answer. Hermione crossed her arms and leaned into him, elbowing his ribs before weaving an arm behind his back.

"You mean to tell me you _actually_ did all of that with a brush, gel, and hairspray?" When he still wouldn't answer, she threw her head back and broke out into a giggle. "Severus Snape, a closeted hairdresser?"

"Hairdresser my arse!" he snapped back. It was too late to prevent giving himself away, he knew, and Hermione laughed loudly. Severus wearily sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "That hair is ruddy impossible to tame, Hermione. I don't know how you manage yours, or how you'll ever teach our daughter to polish hers."

"So, you claimed defeat then?" she goaded, amused by the receiving glare he bore.

"It wasn't for lack of _trying._"

"I know, love." Hermione leaned into him further, feeling the tension in her husband's stance finally relax within her embrace. A secure arm wrapped itself around her back, too. "Well, she seems very happy with the end result?"

"Well, she wasn't after nearly an hour of my pulling and dosing her with all of your ridiculous Muggle hair products."

Hermione snorted into his chest. "No, I daresay she wouldn't be!"

The mere thought of Severus fixing their daughter's curls was enough to amuse her for some time, and she couldn't stop from chuckling repeatedly for some time in her husband's arms. Once she had her composure under better control, she chanced peering up at Severus and gave him a considerate regard, as his eyes remained glued on their daughter, who was busy giggling with Albus and a few of her friends several feet away.

"You gave it a sincere effort, Severus. I'm proud of you."

Severus's mouth eased into a faint smile. "You won't be once you undo the Glamours I have in place..."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Severus finally met his wife's suspicious gaze and a wry, fetching smile she recognized suddenly surfaced, replacing the tentative one from before. "Trust me," he purred, "it's a sight you won't forget."

* * *

**A/N #2: I hope you enjoyed it? Please let me know! Your feedback keeps me going with these. The next one will be pretty angsty...**


	15. The Joys and Hardships of a Family Hol

**A/N: As previously forewarned, this is an angsty one-shot, and not at all what it was intended to be (see note below!) As such, it's also over 10k! Thoughts are most graciously welcomed!  
**

_**Many thanks to the wonderful onecelestialbeing for looking over this piece when I was ready to rip my hair out!**_

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**The Joys and Hardships of a Family Holiday**

_The Snape family spends a week at the coast. Can they truly enjoy it with a few worrisome troubles in play?_

_(Original prompt from **woodshark**, who asked for a family weekend one-shot, but this piece took on such a life of its own that I hesitate to say it's been truly fulfilled. This ended up being a lot angstier than I'm sure **woodshark** wanted, so I will likely write a fun-filled one in the future so that it actually meets her specifications. However, considering the timeline between the **Prequel** and the **original**, and what Severus is going through throughout that extensive period of time, hopefully my direction with this piece makes sense. I pretty much let my Muse lead me in the direction it wanted to go: angst.)_

* * *

The Snape family had been looking forward to their last holiday of the summer. This trip was particularly significant because the eldest daughter, Lily, would soon be starting her first year at Hogwarts, and in only a matter of weeks. It would be the last family holiday for some time, which brought Hermione to tears on more than one occasion.

"Mum, you're doing it _again_," Lily or one of the younger daughters would snicker when word started on Lily leaving for school.

"I know, I know, it's just... Well, it's a big deal!" she would sniff and wipe at her eyes, comforted by the reassuring, warm hug that came in the form of her snarky husband, who, on _this_ score, saw fit not to tease her for getting emotional.

The trip had taken a detour from its original outline, however, making the family's normally planned holiday along the English coastline postponed until after a week-long outing to Wizarding Bulgaria. Whilst the girls had thoroughly enjoyed spending time in a new, fascinating country, where the people's accents were somewhat trying to understand and their ways of life curiously different from home, their time spent as a family unit had been limited and, thus, a bit disappointing. There were also the peculiar circumstances surrounding their stay in Bulgaria, too, that left the girls confused, as it seemed to have sprung up rather spontaneously, and their father's frequent absence was puzzling, at best.

What was only supposed to be three or four days turned into a week-long stay at the distinguished Durmstang University. Being the only young females on the premise had been odd, and certainly garnered its fair share of attention.

"Gross," Lily mumbled on more than one occasion; she had caught the same first year boy—crooked teeth, shaven eyebrows, and all—casting funny looks her way throughout the week, much to Surina's hell-bent amusement.

Aside from Severus's frequent absence from his family during their stay was also his less than healthy appearance, which was proving more and more unsettling to the children in recent weeks, and it only added to their growing suspicions over their spontaneous trip to Bulgaria.

"Is there something you aren't telling us, Mum?" Surina hounded Hermione relentlessly, the impression in her dark eyes acute. Hermione offered a resounding "No," each time the witch or her siblings asked and, thus, their strange hols continued, the countdown to the beach portion of their trip growing with anticipation.

Unlike Surina, however, Lily didn't push the sensitive topic surrounding her father's absence or his sickly condition, but that didn't mean she wasn't worried. Hailey was indifferent, or at least pretended to be, and mostly kept to herself, her face buried behind the books her mother had lent for the long train rides to and from Bulgaria. Jeannie, only a little over one year old, was too distracted by food, naps, and attempting to escape everyone's clutches to consider more mature matters at hand.

On Sunday morning, the Snapes finally departed Durmstang University for home. Cramped into one train compartment left the girls, mainly Lily and Surina, little to no opportunity to discuss the perplexities surrounding the past week's visit in secret, but the train rides were proving quite the adventure in themselves. Tempers, particularly between the children, flared, arguments routinely broke out and, nearing the end, everyone was in dire need of rest and some space. Even magically extending the compartment had done little to nothing to put the children in a better mood, much to Hermione's growing frustrations.

"We'll be there soon," she kept repeating, much like a broken record, though it was unclear whether it was uttered more to comfort herself or to appease the girls.

After helping his wife supervise the children's bad temperaments on the trip home, although he had unofficially ended up the designated watcher of a rambunctious, active one year old, Severus was knackered and in desperate need of a couple hours of sleep himself. Once the children had settled down, or at least were choosing to be quiet, Severus swiftly sought what little opportunity he had, knowing a silent moment between five females wouldn't last long.

Now on the verge of sleep, Severus wasn't aware of the scrutiny he had fallen under by his two eldest daughters, who were seated directly across from him. He detected whispering instead of the usual rows that frequently broke out between the two, but he was too far gone to pay attention. Merlin help him, if he could only rest his eyes for five minutes, then he might feel remarkably improved; enough to, perhaps, spend proper time with the children once they reached their destination.

Severus's head propped itself against something solid, the feel of a thick, yet soft, texture tickling his eyelashes and the bridge of his nose. _Oh, right... Hermione..._

Quite contented, the weary wizard heaved a long sigh and leaned his slouched form into his wife, now quietly reading next to him by the window. The steady, subtle shaking of the compartment, as well as the grating of wheels against the tracks beneath the floor, were oddly soothing and lulled him to sleep fairly quickly. The turning of pages, too, was additionally comforting, so Severus nodded off at last. Luckily for him, Hermione barely shifted against his weight, keeping perfectly still and silent as he snored unabashedly on her shoulder.

Jeannie, too, had fallen asleep some time ago, tucked beneath Severus's arm with one of her own draped over his thigh. Her head leaned against her father's chest, her mouth hanging open as she drooled onto his coat. Meanwhile, Hailey had propped herself in the far corner of the compartment, far away from Lily and Surina lest they disturb the children's story she was heavily engrossed in; perhaps it was just the colorful, animated pictures that accompanied the text, but she liked the book a great deal and didn't want to hear either of her siblings' obnoxious chatter. She softly turned the page of her book and continued reading, ignoring everyone else.

"Jeannie's drooling again," Surina snickered, causing Lily to giggle as well.

"Hush, you two," came Hermione's soft, albeit humored, reply. She tried to give them each a stern eye and return to the book in her hands. Hailey didn't even look up from her own reading material, her face barely visible, only those wild, untamable curls that were so much like her mother's.

A few minutes later and Surina's laughter disrupted the otherwise quiet train ride again. "Dad's snoring is so loud!"

"Shhh, Surina," Hermione hushed her with pursed lips, fighting back a smile of her own.

"How on earth do you sleep at night, Mum?"

"Never you mind." Hermione shook her head and then sighed heavily, her face baring a far more serious expression than before. "Let your father and sister sleep, please. They're both very tired."

Surina's brow contorted in confusion. "But we're nearly there!"

"Yes, you're right, Surina, but that doesn't matter. You two might want to catch a bit of sleep, too. We still have to Floo a couple times before we'll be there."

Unsurprisingly, the soon-to-be ten-year-old Surina scoffed at the idea of rest and turned her attention towards the window, gazing absentmindedly at the moving landscape that passed her by.

Lily, instead, eyed her mother curiously. "Why couldn't we use a Portkey, Mum? Wouldn't it be a lot faster?"

"We could have, yes, and risked getting into trouble for creating an unauthorized transport."

"Dad wouldn't have cared," Surina snorted under her breath, which earned her another sharp look from her mother.

"It's illegal, Surina."

"And _faster_," the young Slytherin-in-the-making challenged.

Hermione put down her book, slightly miffed. Her daughter had a point, naturally, and she and Severus were admittedly regretting their decision to use the Muggle transport system, but, at this point, Hermione was growing far too spent to argue the matter.

"Your father and I thought you might enjoy the journey by rail, Surina; getting to see the various villages and landscapes?"

"Mum, we _live_ in the countryside," Surina unnervingly pointed out, giving Hermione a critical frown. "And the train rides are so _long!_"

"I know they are, Surina, but—"

"Why couldn't we just use the Floo Network from Bulgaria?"

"Because it would still take us quite a long time to get back—"

"I'm tired of this train," the dark-haired girl started to mope, her voice growing louder by the second. "I want to get off!"

"Well, you can't—"

"But why?"

"_Enough_, Surina!"

Hermione froze at the sudden stirring of Severus beside her. However, he simply readjusted his head against her shoulder and, to her relief, continued dozing, returning to his heavy snoring pattern within seconds.

Hermione willed herself to take several deep breaths. She hadn't wanted to be downcast or snippy in front of the girls. She knew Severus needed rest, most desperately, but she also didn't want to let on that anything was askew either; her husband wouldn't appreciate it and, with the children, it would only lead to more questions. After a stressful week of looking after the ill wizard whilst in Bulgaria, however, even as they sought out advice from his Potions colleague, Hermione found her patience now in short supply.

_The girls don't know_, she reminded herself calmly. _They don't understand what's going on._

"Your father could do without so much magical transporting right now, Surina," she tried to explain more thoughtfully. "Please be a little more considerate."

Surina's pout dissipated into a one of guilt rather than irritation, her pale cheeks effacing more color. "Sorry, Mum. I... I didn't mean it like that."

"I know you didn't, sweetheart. And please make sure you don't complain about the train ride in front of him, all right? I don't think your father would appreciate knowing how much you're disliking this trip, and we haven't even gotten to the beach yet."

"We're _not_ disliking it!" Lily piped up, nudging her sibling in the ribs. "Right, sis?"

"Right," Surina mumbled, though not at all convincingly. She turned her head away from her mother, as well as a slumbering Severus, and stared out the window again, this time without expression; it was an unsettling look Hermione recognized all too well. It belonged to Severus as well.

"Surina?" Hermione addressed her daughter gently. She waited for Surina to meet her eyes. "This is supposed to be a fun, relaxing trip. Let's just try to enjoy ourselves, all right? We'll be there before you know it."

Surina merely nodded and resumed her window watching, whilst Lily settled in at her sister's side and either stared out the window or glanced over at her parents, her eyes darting between her sleeping father and little sister a number of times. She had known for a while that _something_ wasn't quite right, particularly about this past week, but preferred not to discuss it at length, unlike Surina, who had hounded their mother for answers. Admittedly, and to herself alone, it frightened her a little to think on, let alone talk about. Her father wasn't looking at all well and even though Surina seemed convinced that, whatever it was, it would pass, Lily wasn't convinced; not by the terrible knot in her stomach, if that were anything to go on. Hailey and Jeannie were rather oblivious to Severus's changing condition, and her mother was more visibly stressed out and upset than Lily had seen her in quite some time.

As Lily watched inconspicuously, Hermione put down her book after a couple minutes to let her eyes rove over Jeannie and her father. She smiled softly, clearly content about something, and placed a light kiss atop her husband's long, black hair. Propping her head against his, with a gentle hand draped over his thigh, her mother then closed her eyes, too, and drifted off to sleep.

It didn't take long for Lily to conclude that she could stress over the prospect of school, as well as whatever it was going on with her father, at a later time. Glancing to her left and right, she found that Surina had shut her eyes as well and was already dozing with her forehead lazily leaning against the glass. Hailey, too, had passed out with her book spread over top of her face. _That_, at least, brought out a small chuckle she couldn't resist, before she surmised that resting was probably a good idea.

_Go to sleep, Lily. You can worry about everything later..._

Lily found herself prodded awake an hour or two later by the poking of an enthusiastic Jeannie. They had arrived at their destination, or were relatively close to the beach at long last.

* * *

"The sun's out! The sun's _actually_ out!" Hailey exclaimed and ran after her older sisters, already well ahead of her and rushing towards the sea at full speed, still fully clothed. They kicked off their shoes and hiked up their pants before they reached the open water.

The Snapes had only just arrived on Holy Island, which boasted of miles upon miles of deserted sand—and not nearly as many tourists as Britain's other top beaches attracted—which was part of its major draw for the Wizarding family. They had come to seek out its remote, yet tranquil, location year after year, ever since Lily was a baby. Here, they could blend easily with the Muggle community and rarely wander into them, except for the occasional trip into town for necessities or to take in the sights, if they so desired.

Instead of settling in to their cozy rental straight away, the girls had begged to head straight for the beach. After such a long journey, Severus and Hermione couldn't deny the children's desperate pleas and willingly encouraged them all to run off their energy.

"You all right?" Hermione whispered as she and Severus, along with Jeannie, watched their older children romp about in the water from a short distance away.

"Yes," he replied softly, his heavy eyelids well-concealed behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Hermione secretly found them immensely attractive, often wishing Severus would wear them more frequently; but, to the dubiously observant wizard, they were worn at times like these mostly to conceal his ailment from the children rather than for looks.

"You let me know if you aren't, all right?" Hermione urged, tugging lightly at Severus's back and appeased when he actually nodded.

Jeannie began squirming in the wizard's arms, wanting to be let down to go join in on all her sisters' fun. "All right, you little bugger," Severus chuckled quietly. He planted the tot carefully on the ground. Hermione snatched up Jeannie's opposite hand and the three slowly stepped down onto the beach to meet the others.

When her feet made contact with the sand, Jeannie let out a strange noise that bordered on somewhere between laughter and shrieking. Bright and highly intuitive for being only one year of age, Severus and Hermione weren't surprised in how vocal she was. To any Muggle passerby, however, Jeannie's words would have garnered a few raised eyebrows.

"Scratchy!" she squeaked, hopping up and down excitedly; some of the sand came well up to her knees. "Scratchy, Daddy! Scratchy!"

Hermione and Severus laughed in amusement at watching the littlest Snape soak in the feel of sand between her toes for the very first time. It was a sight they remembered well with each of their children from holidays past, and now, their youngest, who kept peering down at her disappearing feet as they strolled closer to the sea, was experiencing it all for herself.

Lily twirled around and extended a hand to her sister. "C'mon, Jeannie! Want to dip your feet in?"

Jeannie giggled and, though unsteady on her feet, charged forward, her hands slipping out of her parents' and into Lily's, who carefully escorted her closer to a small oncoming wave that was about to reach the shore. Jeannie suddenly squealed and ran back towards her parents, ducking in between Severus's legs for shelter. To the little one, the water coming to greet her was a game of chase—an endearing visual that could make even the moodiest wizard crack a smile.

"C'mon, Jeannie!" all three of her sisters encouraged, waving their hands as they continued to animately kick and splash.

Jeannie, wedged firmly between Severus's legs, refused to move, however, and kept each arm wrapped around his limbs as though he was a solid pole that might protect her. She squeaked and adamantly shook her head, her long curls bobbing back and forth.

"Don't you want to go in the water, sweetie?" Hermione tried to assuage her youngest by crouching down to her level.

"No!" the toddler answered before peering up curiously at, to anyone else, the intimidating professor in black. He returned her peculiar stare with an arched eyebrow. "Daddy must come, too!" she commanded with a sly grin that made his jaw drop.

"Oh, no you don't!" He quickly reached down and patted Jeannie's behind. "Go on, you little toe rag—"

"No, _you_ come, too!" she insisted. Her tiny hands latched onto one of his wrists in an unsuccessful attempt to tug him towards the water. "Come, Daddy! Come!"

Severus tried to snarl, although neither his daughter, nor his other three children, seemed to be listening; perhaps they were simply ignoring the man's excuses, too busy goading him on to take him seriously. "I'm not dressed properly, Jeannie!"

"_Come, Daddy!_"

"I think you're overruled, love," Hermione snickered, fighting back more laughter when Severus shot her a scowl that conveyed how desperately he wanted her help.

"I'll get you back for this!" he called over his shoulder. The little tot's determination couldn't be swayed, however, and Severus found that he was going to get wet one way or another.

Hermione willingly taunted him by laughing louder. "I'm sure you will! You've heard them, Severus. Go on! Shoo!"

Severus relinquished control of the situation once Jeannie forced him to kneel down behind her. She then crawled in between his legs and locked his arms around her, waiting eagerly for the next wave to greet the sand. When the water reached father and daughter, Jeannie shrilled with giggles and clapped her hands, demanding more. Her sisters joined in on the fun and continued splashing nearby.

"Again, Daddy! Again!"

Hermione _Accio_'ed a camera from inside her enhanced beaded bag to capture the memory whilst trying not to get wet in the process. As she drew closer to Severus and Jeannie, she become quite infatuated with the endearing sight of her littlest's infectious smile that spread from ear to ear whenever a wave washed over her feet. Every so often, she pointed towards an oncoming wave, making sure that Severus was aware of the fact and still had his arms wrapped protectively around her.

Severus would smile softly into her thick curls and whisper into her ear, "Here it comes," as the water rushed over their feet. Jeannie jumped in giddy anticipation, turning towards her captivated father with her mouth open. The sweet moment repeated itself several times over, and Hermione sought to thoughtfully capture it all. Finally, she lowered her camera, her smile fading into a concerned frown.

_I hope the rest of our hols will be much like this..._

* * *

By the time the family made their way back to their cottage, only a short distance away on foot, everyone except for Hermione was soaked to their knees, including Severus, whose trousers, as well as the bottom of his long cloak, were drenched and covered in sand. Hermione made quick use of casting drying spells on everyone before they entered the house—a snug and inviting retreat decorated in light blues and greens that matched the beach setting beyond the house. The back of the property opened onto a screened-in porch that overlooked a breathtaking view of the ocean.

The perfect spot for a Wizarding family of six. Except that it was most definitely too tight for that many people. Thus, Severus and Hermione magically enhanced the place from top to bottom, adding square footage and filling it with personal touches that made it more than a family retreat but reminiscent of a real home away from home.

Once everyone was through unpacking their belongings and had designated a bedroom of their own, the girls reemerged, begging to go back out onto the beach and play. "Not until you eat something," Hermione instructed her whiners, conjuring a table setting for each with her wand.

"The sun will be gone by then, Mum!" Surina griped, but Lily nudged her side yet again to silence her sister. Hailey and Jeannie merely plopped themselves down and scarfed down their dinners as if they hadn't eaten in eons.

Severus was the last to make an appearance and, much to the girls' disappointment, he hadn't changed out of his typical frock coat and trousers. "I have no intention of swimming tonight," he intoned when Jeannie proceeded to moan in protest. "The water will be ruddy freezing. No, thank you."

"That's not going to stop us!" each of the children chimed, and for which the wizard rolled his eyes at them.

"I know, so don't come complaining to your mother or me when you freeze your little arses off."

The witches cackled happily at that remark, blatantly ignoring their father's warning, and resumed clearing their plates.

"At least we'll get to watch the sunset," Hermione offered quietly, leaning into her husband when the girls were busy prattling on about their plans for the week.

Severus didn't say anything in return, but the subtle, gentle glimmer in his eyes as he regarded Hermione spoke volumes. He was grateful to have the stresses of the past week behind them. Hermione echoed those same sentiments by cracking an understanding smile, one that only the pair of them understood.

* * *

The following day was spent entirely on the beach, the location of which was quickly beginning to feel like the Snape's own personal retreat, seeing as there wasn't a Muggle in sight. Not that Severus or Hermione couldn't have resolved the dilemma of_ not_ being seen, but it was still welcoming, nonetheless.

Hermione and Hailey read most of the day, hidden behind their books. Severus would have gladly joined them except that Jeannie was proving a rather determined pest, insisting that he help her build 'the largest sandcastle possible'—by hand, of course. That didn't prevent Severus from trying to extract his wand several times to speed the process along, but Jeannie was equally quick to catch her father in the act, demanding that he put his wand away.

"_No_, Daddy!" she half laughed, half grimaced. "_We_ build it! Together! No magic, Daddy! _No magic!_"

Humored, and not wishing to incur further reprimanding from the little witch, Severus gave up by mid-morning and allowed his youngest to designate tasks to help construct her castle.

That left Lily and Surina to spend the majority of their time in the water, riding the waves and trying to out-swim one another. The overcast sky made the water cooler than usual, but it didn't deter the two from enjoying several lengthy dips.

"You should talk to him, Lily," Surina suggested during a break in their swimming races; they had paused to glance at the rest of their family gathered on shore. "Or talk to Mum; either one will listen to you."

"Why? It's not going to change anything."

"How do you know? Mum usually knows what to say—you know her—and Dad could probably explain more about what Hogwarts will be like."

Lily's uncertain look morphed into a pout. She watched Surina dunk her head underneath the water and reemerge, looking no more sympathetic to her troubles than before. Lily replied quietly, "I may not see much of him..."

Her Slytherin-like sister gave Lily a confused look over. "Why not?"

"Because if I'm not placed in Slytherin—"

"Oh, please!" Surina snorted, dismissing Lily's feelings in a manner that deeply upset her, though the self-assured witch wasn't aware of it. "You're both living in the same place, sis, and you'll have Dad for Potions class as well. I'm sure you'll see plenty of him."

"It's not like that, Surina," Lily insisted, trying to feign coolness. "Dad will be busy, and so will I. And if I'm not fitting in..." She swallowed, thinking on the nerve-wracking possibility that she may not find her footing. "Well, I can't go running to Dad every time I have a problem, can I?"

Surina evidently didn't follow that thought either. "Why not?" she questioned in return, still as perplexed as before.

"Well, wouldn't that make me out to be just a tad pathetic?"

As soon as the question slipped, Lily wished she hadn't bothered asking, for Surina merely offered a wicked, un-encouraging snicker. "Kind of."

"Ugh! _You're_ no help!" Lily turned up her nose and swam away, but she didn't get far before Surina called after her.

"You're getting upset over nothing, Lily!"

"Don't tell me _you_ won't be nervous when _your_ time to go to Wizarding school comes around!"

"I won't be!" Surina fired back, raising her head in defiance.

Lily whirled around in the water to heatedly glare her sister down. "If you think it's going to be easy, Surina, then you're in for a rude awakening! And _you_ won't be able to rely on Dad either, you know! Neither of us will!"

"Oh, come off it, sis! Why are you getting so huffy?"

"_I mean it!_"

With that, Lily swam a considerable distance away, uninterested in escalating their row any further. Surina simply didn't understand her point of view and there was no use elaborating on her misgivings, because her sister wouldn't 'get it.' The witch didn't understand the certain pressures that heavily weighed Lily down, about the responsibilities that came with being the first child in the family to attend Wizarding school: a burden her younger sister was fortunate to avoid.

What if she disappointed her parents? What if she did poorly in Potions? What if she embarrassed her father and the family in some way?

Although her father had been nothing but exceedingly gentle and encouraging towards Lily in her upcoming school plans, Lily wasn't a fool; she had heard of his "nasty reputation"; that he was a hard-arse professor not to be trifled with, particularly by those not in Slytherin House. _That_ troubled her greatly, both the prospect of seeing a side to her father that she didn't know and the notion that he might treat her differently than he always did at home.

There was also another worrying factor looming beneath the surface and threatening to disrupt their family holiday, as well as Lily's only future comfort in attending Hogwarts: Severus's health. Lily's frown deepened as she plunged her way back towards the shoreline, thinking worriedly on what lay in store for him.

_What if something's seriously wrong and Dad won't be there for me after all?_

* * *

"Hermione?"

Hermione's curly head perked up in the darkness, her eyes squinting to make out the back of Severus's head. "What is it, love?"

"I think... I think I'll have to join you and the girls later today..."

"Are you sure?" Her nerves heightened at how shattered his voice sounded.

"Yes..." was all he could apparently mutter in return.

Severus wasn't facing her, but Hermione could easily read the poor wizard's needs. Between the strain in his voice and the tension throughout his body language, she knew he was suffering. After spending yesterday's latter half of their beach day sleeping, followed by excessive bouts of tossing and turning throughout the night, his sleep deprivation was acutely felt by both.

Tucked in at his back, Hermione coiled her arms tighter around his torso and burrowed her face against bare, rough skin, sensing how stiff he had gone in her arms. She kissed a few slash marks along his shoulder blade, feeling Severus shift slightly within her grasp but, otherwise, remaining perfectly still, as though it was too painful to move yet. He was clearly uncomfortable in such a curled up, fetal position but wasn't ready to risk turning over or unfurling his legs.

"Take whatever time you need, Severus," Hermione whispered, rubbing her cheek affectionately against his shoulder; her hold around him tightened further. "If you need more to time to recoup today, it's all right. I'll manage on my own."

Hermione closed her eyes when he didn't say anything else and focused intently on listening to the soothing waves outside their bedroom window, hoping the easing, pleasant sound might lull them both back to sleep. The sun hadn't risen yet, but it was only a matter of time before Jeannie would be up and about, pining for breakfast or, more likely, Severus. Their littlest was always an early riser, and Hermione had had to keep the tot away from Severus most mornings on their trip so that he could rest. It hadn't stopped the lively little one from trying to hop into bed with him anyhow, even if her arms could barely reach the bed post to climb up.

A few minutes later, thinking that she might actually drift off to sleep again, Hermione was abruptly startled when Severus scooted out of her embrace, albeit with difficulty and a couple pain-sounding grouses. Gingerly, he pulled back the covers and eased himself upright, trying to be quiet so as not to disturb what he assumed was a now slumbering Hermione at his side; but Hermione had pried both eyes open, however, and was now more alert and awake than before.

"Severus, what are you doing?"

"Nothing," he answered through a heavy sigh and scooted farther away from her. "I'm sorry if I woke you. Go back to sleep, Hermione."

Severus fumbled to uncork some phials on his bedside table and gulped each down in haste, placing them back from whence they came. He didn't return to bed straight away when he was through but, instead, wearily hung his head in his hands, his body trembling and jerking from time to time as he tried to rid off expressing his discomfort aloud. His body language was the horrifying confirmation Hermione had been fearing, though. To her growing alarm, Hermione could see with her own eyes that Severus's ailments were growing steadily worse. It prompted her aching heart to be near him, to pull him into her arms and cradle him close.

"Severus..."

Hermione quickly sat up and extended an arm to gently rub at his back. Severus twitched at first but soon relaxed into her comforting touch. He didn't make a sound as she delicately massaged each throbbing muscle, working out the spasms that plagued him in slow circles.

"Do we need to talk about this?" she pressed softly after a time, grateful that he couldn't see the misery forming in her eyes.

Severus didn't turn around to face her; he barely moved, allowing the witch to continue her easing ministrations. After an agonizing pause, he answered with a delicate "No," and said nothing else.

Hermione didn't have it in her to argue; not at five o'clock in the morning, anyway. She was knackered from being up most of the night along with her husband and, seeing him in the current state he was in, she wasn't about to aggravate things further by rowing. It could wait until later.

"Well, sitting like this can't be helping you."

"I'll be fine in a minute."

Hermione's mouth slumped. The man had an infuriating knack for using that line on her, even when they both knew it was false. Going about their days acting like nothing was wrong, and having to make constant excuses to the girls, was starting to take its toll on Hermione's emotions. Not only did Severus's health weigh heavily on her heart, but the lies to their children, and everyone else they knew, for that matter, were mentally draining her as well. Was that dreaded conversation she and her husband had been trying desperately to avoid having with their daughters closer at hand than they had bargained for?

_Don't think on this, Hermione. Not now. Just don't! Don't..._

Hermione shifted until she was directly behind him. Her hand that had been rubbing circles around Severus's back grazed down his side and gently eased him back until he was leaning into her full embrace.

"Come back to bed, love."

"I can't... Not yet..."

Hermione nuzzled his neck and wrapped her arms across his chest. "I know it hurts, sweetheart, but you're better off lying down than sitting hunched over like this. You'll feel worse in the morning." She delicately kissed the nape of his neck, stricken as his weight sunk into her fold. "C'mon, you. Back to bed. You need to rest."

Those words were apparently all the encouragement Severus needed. Heaving his legs timidly back beneath the covers, Severus quietly allowed Hermione to draw the blankets over him, comforted further when she secured herself against his chest by weaving an arm around his torso like a protective shield. Likewise, Severus draped an arm over Hermione's shoulder and buried his nose in her wild hair.

Long fingers stroked small circles along her shoulder blades, rubbing some of her anxieties away. Hermione couldn't help but smile appreciatively and stretched her neck to leave a trail of kisses along Severus's jaw line. Then she tucked her face into his chest again and hugged him close.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," came his wrenched apology, so bone-chilling and unexpected that it nearly drowned the tranquil atmosphere between them.

Hermione's body went rigid in his arms. "Hush, Severus. Don't. There's nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, there is," he insisted in a low murmur. "I've put you through hell this past week. I... I thought Cosworth might have some fresh theories; I was a bloody fool. I didn't expect..."

Hermione read his silence easily and conveyed so with a few tender kisses to his chest. "I know you didn't, love," she replied gently, willing the lump in the back of her throat to dispel, "and neither did I. We'll have to see Augustus when we get back."

"Hermione—"

"You _can't_ go off to Hogwarts like this, Severus," she interrupted with more urgency, squeezing her eyes shut as she held tight to him amidst the heavy darkness. "I won't let you."

"What about Lily?" Before Hermione could answer, Severus pressed in a strained whisper, "You want her to go off alone, when she's been relying on me to be there for her?"

"She'd understand, love, if that's what it came to..."

"Maybe in a few months, yes, but not right away! No... She's nervous, Hermione. You've seen how she's been acting lately. I ought to be there. I... I promised I'd be there for her; _for all of them._"

Deeply affected by his sentiments, Hermione tried not to let her husband's promise crush her fragile composure, but she could detect tears forming in her eyes. "I'm not saying you shouldn't go, Severus, but we _have_ to get this under better control before you do. That's why we need to see Augustus—"

"We'll discuss it later," he abruptly shut down the conversation with a faint snarl.

Hermione took several deep breaths. "Very well." She wasn't at all happy with how drastically the discussion had turned on its head but was too emotionally spent to bicker about it now.

Unbeknownst to her, however, Severus hadn't meant to end things so harshly. In fact, he had wanted to apologize to the wonderfully understanding and deeply caring witch in his arms, to express to her how utterly sorry he was for dampening their holiday with his damned physical problems, for making things far less enjoyable for her and the girls when they had been so looking forward to this trip; they were all deserving of a great time and he had no right to squander it.

_She doesn't deserve this... None of them do..._

Instead, Severus had clamped up—_Just like you always do, you arse!_—and unintentionally shut his wife down in the process. She now laid beside him in silence, not saying a word. Severus inadvertently cradled Hermione closer and, eventually, felt her respond back with a firmer hug of her own—one that was warm and immensely consoling. How she put up with his miserable self and all of his wretched problems, Severus would never understand.

In an effort to rectify the situation, Severus brushed his lips against Hermione's forehead, hoping they might convey his deep remorse. The apology was on the tip of his tongue and ready to come out when Hermione spoke up before he could so much as open his mouth.

"I know," she whispered, her response so simple, yet profound. She returned his affections with several kisses of her own to his exposed chest. "It's all right, love. Everything's going to be all right. Go back to sleep."

"But... Today?"

Hermione nuzzled his neck as a tender act of reassurance. "Wait and see how you feel later. For now, just rest. I'm here, sweetheart; _I'm right here._"

* * *

The rest of the Snape family holiday went by relatively smoothly and was enjoyed by all, at least on the surface, though Severus's frequent absence was painfully noted. Too much time spent in the sun, which was very little by comparison to anyone else, only added to his bouts of exhaustion. Most of the time he remained indoors.

Still, Hermione could see the extensive measures her husband was taking to interact and play with the children whenever possible, even if he physically could do little, and it nearly broke her heart to watch him struggle. The look of devastation in those dark eyes during the many times that he couldn't were the worst.

Jeannie was particularly disappointed—and confused—when her father couldn't get out of bed to accompany them into town or down to the beach. It didn't help that Lily, Surina, and even Hailey were growing more and more worried and inquisitive as the days wore on.

"When's Dad coming out?" Hailey pressed some four days after Severus had first taken to lying in instead of joining them on the beach.

"I don't know, Hailey. I would imagine shortly." Unnerved a little by the peculiar expression the resembling, brown-eyed girl was giving her, Hermione added a little too hastily, "He's tired today."

"Daddy's _always_ tired," Jeannie piped up out of the blue, her usually cheerful disposition downcast as she worked on burying Hailey up to her neck in sand; she wasn't making much progress, though, since her tiny arms could barely hold the bucket she used to dump the sand.

Hermione rattled at that comment and was grateful her youngest was too distracted with what she was doing to take in her mother's reaction. She was also somewhat disturbed at how attuned the little witch already was.

"Sweetie, that isn't true—"

"Yes, it_ is_, Mum," Hailey agreed, her voice seemingly conveying the worry all the girls had been feeling. Hailey cast her attention towards her younger sibling, now piling more sand onto her legs.

"Please try to understand..."

"Understand what?" Lily inquired, snatching up a towel from the ground and wrapping it around her waist.

Surina, who had also emerged from the water, was immediately distracted by Jeannie and Hailey and dashed over to join them. "Hey, I'll help you, Jeannie!"

"No, you won't!" Hailey gasped and tried to break free of the sand. Jeannie stomped her foot in protest. "You'll dump sand in my hair like you did yesterday!"

"No, I won't, sis!" Surina snickered, though she was fighting back a grin the devil would surely be proud of. "_Honest!_"

"No! Lemme up, Jeannie!"

"_No!_" Jeannie leaped on top of Hailey to pin her down. "You stay! You not move!"

"Hey, hey! Play nice, _all of you!_"

Once Hermione sensed that a fight wasn't about to break out, she turned her attention to her eldest, who had taken a seat at her side and was waiting patiently for her to continue her thought. "You should go back in while you can, love; the sun won't be out much longer."

"No, I'm fine, Mum. You were saying?"

Hermione tried to shake off her earlier reservations with another one of her fictitious smiles that she suspected Lily was catching on to. "Oh, nothing, sweetie. Jeannie was just talking about Dad, and it's nothing to be concerned about."

The concentrated expression lining Lily's attractive features grew sharper. "Is it something serious?" she pressed, the urgency in her voice overt.

Hermione had just reopened her book to resume reading but was jolted upright by Lily's question. "No, not at all."

"Mum, you've clearly been stressed out, and Dad hasn't looked at all well. Is something wrong?"

"I have?" Hermione's eyes flashed strangely. "Oh, dear, well, I certainly haven't _meant_ to act stressed. Have I really? I - I just have a lot on my mind right now, sweetie, that's all. I'm sorry if I've been snippy with you girls; I don't mean to be."

Lily turned away, seemingly unconvinced. "I feel like you and Dad are keeping something from us..."

Hermione's shoulders stiffened and she was, once again, thankful that her daughter's eyes were turned away. "Nothing that we wouldn't tell you girls if it was necessary, Lily."

Slowly, Lily's brown eyes locked on Hermione's, their conveyance rather forlorn and anxious this time. "He... He _will_ still be returning to Hogwarts, won't he?" she surprised her mother by asking. "He _is_ going back, isn't he?"

"He should be, Lily. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know... Just wondering, what with how he's been feeling and all... I wasn't sure."

Lily felt Hermione's arm encase itself around her shoulder. "Don't concern yourself with that, all right? He's going to be fine."

Lily meekly nodded, though her countenance seemed to express something else entirely; a secret that was weighing her down. "Mum, can I ask you something else?"

"Of course you can, love."

Lily's eyes shifted towards the sand at her feet. "What if I... What if I'm_ not_ placed in Gryffindor or Slytherin House?"

To that, the few lines around Hermione's eyes lessened. "_Again?_" she mused through a tenderly-rendered smile. "Oh, Lily, don't worry about it—"

"But I _want_ to be in... Well, if_ I_ could choose, I'd very much like to be in Gryffindor, Mum, like you."

An immense sense of pride washed over Hermione in that moment, and she couldn't help but extend the small smile on her lips at hearing her daughter's wishes. "Then maybe you _will_ be, Lily."

"I hope so."

"Well, whatever House you end up in, sweetie, be proud. They _all_ boast great qualities."

"Especially Slytherin!" Surina interrupted, giggling when Lily proceeded to scowl in her direction.

Hermione's gaze zoned in on the dark-haired youth's sly move of trying to discreetly pour sand into Hailey's tangled web of curls. She reacted instantly, shooting Surina a reprimanding glare that could rival Severus's.

"Surina!" she hissed, and her outburst was enough to catch Hailey's attention. The younger witch's eyes widened in horror.

"What?" Hailey frantically reached for her curls, only to find them laden with sand and debris. "_SURINA!_" she howled, but her older sister had already made a beehive for the water, shrieking at the top of her lungs. Hailey, too, shot to her feet, all but ignoring Jeannie's protests, and made after Surina, her eyes fuming with rage. "It's_ not_ funny, sis! YOU'RE DEAD!"

Lily snorted after them, appeased that it wasn't her and Surina bickering for a change. Beside her, her mother groaned in defeat and collapsed her face in her hands.

"I could really use your father's help with _that one_ right about now."

* * *

"I told you she was nervous," came that low, disgruntled growl Hermione knew so well.

"Well, I think she's feeling a little better now. We talked for a bit."

"How's Hailey?"

"Still fuming." Hermione folded her arms over her chest reprimandingly. "Surina needs to start behaving, Severus. Her pranks are getting out of hand."

"Oh, bollocks," Severus retorted, rolling his eyes and shifting cautiously beneath the covers; he winced and tried unsuccessfully to disguise his discomfort. "She was only having a little fun, Hermione."

"'A little fun'? It wasn't _nice_, Severus!"

"You come down far too hard on her; more so than the others."

"_What?_ I do not!"

"You do, too. You're too hard on her."

"And_ you're_ far too lenient!" Hermione huffed, but her anger quickly dissipated at the weary disposition Severus projected. He rolled his head sideways against his pillow and let out a small moan of pain that didn't escape Hermione's ears.

Drawing the blankets up to conceal most of his face, Severus's gaze eventually returned to that of his wife, his eyes searching her for a long moment with dark circles beneath that were both prominent and worrisome. "Did you all have a good time today?" he asked so quietly that she almost hadn't heard him.

Hermione felt her chest tighten, both at the morbid sentiment behind the man's question, but also at his hushed, lament-filled tone. She sunk onto the bed beside him and leaned in close to the wizard's face, speaking softly and encouragingly.

"Yes, love, but you were sorely missed. Jeannie... Hailey... They all kept asking for you."

Severus's irises flickered. "They did?"

"Yes, of course." Hermione tried to smile but was pained by the rather hopeless look in his eyes. Gently, she brushed a hand over his forehead, watching his eyelashes flutter at her touch. "How are you feeling now?"

"I've been better..."

"Still achy? Short of breath?"

"Yes, sometimes..."

"It'll pass, love." Hermione kept stroking his brow, her fingers eventually weaving into his long locks. It didn't take much of her warm attention to get Severus's eyes to close, but she continued speaking quietly to him in the hopes that her words might have some effect. "It always does. You'll get there. You're just going through a rough patch right now, that's all."

"For how much longer, though?" he mumbled drowsily.

Hermione halted her stroking, sensing her emotions about to get the better of her. "Don't say things like that, Severus..."

"But, Hermione—"

"_Don't._" Hermione bent forward to lay an affirmative kiss on the bridge of his nose. "You focus on feeling better, all right? Perhaps tomorrow you could lay on the beach with us. You don't have to move around too much, but at least you could watch the girls play."

Severus pried his eyes open half-way, staring at her with hopefulness for the first time in days. "Yes, I - I'd like that..." he whispered, secretly heartened when Hermione's face, too, brightened at the idea.

"I know _the girls_ would like that, too. Very much."

"You... You aren't mad?"

His question was so unexpected that Hermione reared back. "Mad?"

"I... I've left you hanging all this time, Hermione. You aren't the _slightest_ bit frustrated with me?"

"What? No, of course not, Severus! I know you can't help it."

"Still..."

"I've done it before, you know."

"That's not the point—"

"I _know_ it isn't, love, but I'm not angry. Why on earth would you even think that? We knew this would happen sometimes."

Severus's eyes crashed shut again, his head burrowing deeper into the pillow that cradled his head. "I'm still sorry...all the same."

Devastated, Hermione leaned in to nudge Severus's nose with hers. "Oh, knock it off, you. You're being silly. And now you _are_ starting to get me going."

Leaving another tender kiss on his forehead, Hermione rested her brow against his and watched him attentively for a time, thinking he might simply fall back asleep. Although his eyes remained shut, Severus's head shifted slightly beneath hers, warmed at the familiar motion of his wife bundling the sheets more securely around him.

"Are you..." Severus struggled to get out, his body now on the verge of sleep. "Are you having a good time, my dear?"

Pained by the disheartening visual before her eyes, which certainly _was_ putting a damper on things, Hermione tried to will away the fresh tears creeping to the surface and grazed Severus's cheek with the back of her hand. "Yes, love, I am," she lied through a whisper, "but I wish you were having a good time, too..."

Severus was fast asleep, though, and hadn't heard her reply nor was he aware of the sorrowful expression she now wore. Hermione kissed him desperately one last time, her quiet words catching at the back of her throat.

"Please feel better, love. Please? I... I miss you..._so much_."

* * *

"_Daddy!_" Jeannie squealed and ran past Hermione, who was in the midst of putting lotion on her button nose. "Daddy! DADDY!"

"Wait, Jeannie, I have to finish putting on your lotion!" she called after the excited child, amused, until she fully turned around and took in the sight of a certain dark wizard strolling onto the beach towards them.

Jeannie made a mad dash into Severus's arms, her small limbs outstretched to be brought into her father's embrace. Severus carefully lifted her up, taking the briefest moment to balance himself, and, together, they made their way over to the rest of the family.

Lily, Surina, and Hailey were taking breaks from swimming, whilst Jeannie had been preparing to go into the water with Hermione. They all waved Severus over to them, thrilled at his reemergence after several days of mostly remaining indoors.

"Hey, Dad!" each of the girls greeted him happily, as he made to place Jeannie back onto the ground.

"Hi," he returned softly, transfiguring an extra towel for himself and taking a seat next to his wife. He was dressed in black swimmer trunks and a t-shirt, as well as the pair of sunglasses Hermione was secretly fond of. He moved slower than usual, but none of the children seemed to pay his discomforts any mind, or, if they did, they were politely pretending not to notice.

Jeannie immediately jumped into Severus's lap once he was seated and seized him around the neck, whilst Lily scooted backward to sit beside him. "You better, Daddy?" Jeannie mumbled into his ear.

"Yes, pumpkin," he returned just as quietly. "Almost."

"Good! Can we play now?"

Hermione chuckled and twisted her fingers around a few of the girl's enviously thick, large curls. "C'mon, Jeannie, give Daddy a couple minutes, all right? He just sat down."

"It's fine," Severus insisted, smirking at the reproachful glare she bore him. He reared back to stare into Jeannie's eager eyes. "I'll play in a little while, Jeannie, all right?"

"Okay, Daddy!" Satisfied, Jeannie hopped out of the wizard's lap and held out a dainty hand to Hermione, pointing the other adamantly towards the ocean waves. "Come, Mummy! Water! Come, come!"

"Such a demanding little thing you are!" Hermione couldn't help but giggle, taking a moment to grin lovingly at her husband before she was tugged away by a determined Jeannie.

Surina, too, decided it was time for another dip. She shot Hailey and Lily a most wry smile, one her two siblings knew to be devious at best. "Race you to the water?" she goaded, but Hailey was on to her scheme and quicker than Surina expected; she sprung to her feet and took off before Surina could make a move. "_Hey!_" the dark-haired witch growled after her.

"Not my fault you aren't quick enough, sis!" Hailey hollered over her shoulder, laughing triumphantly when she reached the water before Surina did.

Lily stayed precisely where she was, however, with her arms wrapped around her knees and her body huddled close to Severus's, who peered over at the young witch with confusion and raised a thoughtful eyebrow. "Don't you want to join them, Lily?"

"No, not yet."

Severus shrugged and made to situate himself more comfortably, unaware of his eldest watching him out of the corner of her eye all the while. Once he stopped moving about, Lily shifted closer and bit her lower lip.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can we talk...for a moment?"

Severus whisked a few hairs out of his face and furrowed his brow. "Yes, of course we can. What's wrong?"

Lily turned away, observing the rest of her family romping about in the ocean for a moment. "Um... Well..."

Lily suddenly found an arm around her back and her body being pressed to Severus's chest. "Something troubling you?" he prodded in order to get her talking. "Something to do with Hogwarts, perhaps?"

Lily's frown enhanced as she peered up into his pale face. "Mum told you, didn't she?"

"Of course she did." When Lily quietly shook her head, Severus leaned in and planted a small kiss on her forehead. "I know it will be a dramatic adjustment, Lily, but you needn't be nervous, least of all what your mother or I might think of the House you're placed in."

"But what about Potions?" she blurted out, causing Severus's eyebrows to taper.

"What about it?"

"What if I do horribly bad in your class and embarrass myself?"

Severus was so stunned by her outburst that, for several seconds, he could only stare down at her in shock. Once he recovered, he gave her a tighter hug of reassurance, not really knowing how exactly to address her anxieties.

"You won't embarrass yourself, Lily—"

"_How do you know?_" she challenged, the desperation in her voice escalating. "I'm not Hailey, Dad! She seems to have a knack for it, but _I don't!_ I never have! The few times we've practiced, I've performed so poorly!"

"Lily, stop—"

"Well, _it's true!_ What if I fail? What if I'm not good enough?"

Her remarks sounded so much like a younger, eager-to-prove Hermione that Severus couldn't stop himself from staring at his daughter unreservedly, his mouth hanging open in stunned silence. It was quite unnerving to see the same intellectual worries that had plagued his wife for so many of her young years now churning in Lily's disposition as well.

"I want you to listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you, Lily," Severus managed once he figured out what to say; his deep register immediately captured the young witch's attention. "Since I'll formally be your professor at Hogwarts, I won't be able to give you the type of pointers I can at home. I won't coddle you, I probably won't even compliment you in front of your peers when you do well. That just isn't my teaching style, my dear; it never has been. In all likelihood, I'll be tough on you—perhaps, to you, unfairly—but understand this, Lily: it's not because I think you're a terrible Potion-maker or a failure or an embarrassment. On the contrary, I simply want you to try harder because you're far more capable than you realize."

Lily blinked, bewildered. "What?"

Severus quirked a subtle smile, but one that his daughter recognized. "You're a much smarter witch than you give yourself credit for. If I was worried about you, I would have insisted on you practicing more potions ages ago. I'm not worried about you, though, Lily. You'll do just fine."

"But..."

"I know you don't believe me now, but, with practice and patience, you'll get there. There's something else you should know about my teaching methods, though, whilst we're on the subject." Severus straightened at her side but continued to embrace her warmly. "You may not like me so much as an instructor, Lily... In fact, you will more than likely find me too strict, too brash, too hard on you and your peers. You'll see a far sterner, less pleasant side to me than you're used to seeing; I'm afraid I'm rather set in my ways, and old habits are difficult to break. But please know that it's_ not_ you, Lily, all right? It's never you. It's the nature of my job. It's stressful, tiring, and makes me far more irritable than I know I should allow it to.

"Remember that at school, I'm your professor, yes, but, in private, I'm still your father, and I'm very proud of you. You can come to me anytime you need to, understood?"

Finding herself heartened and greatly relieved by Severus's sentiments, Lily emphatically nodded her head in response. "I can, Dad? Really? You won't mind?"

Severus scowled, more out of puzzlement than frustration. "Of course I don't mind. Why would I? As long as the time doesn't interfere with any of your classes, you may come see me anytime you wish, Lily. In fact, _I'd like you to come see me_...very much."

Severus found himself engulfed in a strong hug and reacted instantly by pressing the girl closer to his chest. "Thank you, Dad! _Thank you!_" she exclaimed in his ear.

Severus tightened his grip around her before reluctantly letting go. "You're welcome. Do you feel better now?"

Lily was surprised at how much his words had affected her anxiety; it was virtually gone, dispelled as though it had never been there.

"Yes, _a lot_ actually."

"Good. I'm glad."

Severus paused to peer out at the rest of his family, all of whom were gathered close together in the water and crowded around Jeannie, who was splashing at her sisters as they splashed back. All were giggling and clearly enjoying themselves.

Severus returned his considerate gaze to Lily, his raven-colored eyes echoing of a warmth and affection known well to her. This holiday hadn't gone as the wizard had hoped, but it could end on a much better note than it began.

"No more fretting, all right?" His eyes glanced playfully towards the water. "Get back out there and enjoy yourself. I demand it," he added with a growl that caused Lily to break out into shrills of laughter.

"All right!" She readily rose to her feet but didn't move away from Severus as he had expected. Instead, she extended a hand out to the hooked-nosed man, who now had more color in his face than he had in weeks, much to her alleviation. Her cheerful countenance willfully returned. "Coming, Dad?"

Severus knew he probably ought to stay put and rest his legs a little longer, but having been apart from Hermione and the children for so long meant that he would gladly ignore the lingering ailments that continued tormenting him—at least, for the afternoon. He would enjoy the remainder of their family holiday, so help him, and, so, he allowed Lily to haul him to his feet and drag him over to the rest of the Snapes, prepared to get splashed and drenched as the girls saw fit.

* * *

**A/N #2: Not _exactly_ the fun one-shot I was supposed to be aiming for. Instead of presenting something lighthearted, I offered something to rip your heart out.** **(Well, maybe?)** **I'll make up for it another time, I promise.**

**Please leave a review! They mean so much. :)**


	16. A Slytherin Surprise

**A/N: A huge shout out to the talented Opera777, who has made three wonderful photo manips from _The Untold Stories_ collection—two from the last angsty beach one-shot and another from "Good Morning." Don't miss these! Links are on my Profile under Media Content. I'm_ so, so_ grateful to have such incredible gifts for this collection. I hope you enjoy these pieces as much as I do! :)  
**

**And now, another prompt! Feel free to send more in. I'm always taking requests.  
**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**A Slytherin Surprise**

_Severus and the girls decide to surprise Hermione unexpectedly  
_

_(Prompt from **bluefirefly5**, who asked for the three oldest Snapes and Severus surprising Hermione with breakfast in bed on a special day. I was going to go with the given Mother's Day or birthday celebration, but I decided to do something different.)_

* * *

Severus awoke quietly to a slumbering Hermione tucked in his arms. Hermione's wisps of hair had settled across his large nose and mouth and, with a quiet puff, Severus expelled them away to breathe properly. No matter how he and Hermione drifted off to sleep at night, it seemed the wizard was destined to wake up engulfed in the witch's ferocious, frizzed curls. It rarely bothered him, though. Rather, it acted as a comforting wake up call—a soothing, delicate reminder of the riches life had brought him after years of hardship and struggle.

Severus curled his lips ever so slightly and nestled his nose into the dip between his wife's neck and shoulder. Her light snoring had eased him out of sleep, which he was privately grateful for on this morning, as an idea had sprung to mind the day prior, and Severus was eager to get up well before Hermione did in to order to prep and plan accordingly. He wanted to surprise her today. It may have been a regular morning like any other, and not particularly merited for such a surprise, but it was exactly that—the unexpected—that made it all the more poignant for Severus.

Hermione deserved to have a lie-in this morning,_ if_ it could be managed. _'If' being the key word. Knowing Hermione..._

In the darkness of their bedroom, Severus couldn't avert rolling his eyes, thinking on how quickly Hermione might wake up, mosey out of bed in search of him, as she was often prone to doing, and spoiling everything. _That_ would most certainly put a damper on Severus's mood. He _wanted_ to catch her off her guard today, and with such a nagging and ever curious Gryffindor on his hands, surprising the woman usually resulted in a more aggravating hassle than he knew it ought to be. She was simply too damn nosy for her own good.

_Insolent chit._

Severus smirked against his wife's warm skin. Her hair was tousled all over the top of her head and, as he lifted his own to observe her dream-like state of relaxation, he was half tempted to delve his fingers in between those wild spirals, both to twirl them around his digits and also to massage Hermione's scalp, knowing how quickly the act would leave her boneless in his arms; but this morning...

_No. She_ has _to stay asleep for as long as possible._

Appraising the witch lying prostrate at his side, with her hands snaked rather possessively around his torso, unraveling himself from her ensnarement might prove a difficulty. Severus delicately attempted to sit upright whilst reaching for his wand tucked underneath his pillow. He paused when Hermione stirred, issuing a few sluggish moans in her sleep that Severus couldn't understand. Her arms coiled looser around him as she resettled herself against his chest. One side of her face was smashed up against him, and had been that way most of the night. She easily fell back into a faint snoring pattern, the sound of which would normally earn her some much-humored taunting from her snarky husband. This morning, however, that would have to wait.

Making handy use of his wand, Severus uttered a nonverbal spell to unfurl Hermione effortlessly from his body. Working carefully and quietly, he placed her head onto his pillow and crept out of bed. Hermione mumbled again and curled her arms and legs into a fetal position beneath the covers, unawares of the attentive wizard tiptoeing around her, cradling her body with several pillows as an added measure in the hopes that she would remain asleep.

It was quite easy for Severus to not make his presence known, and to not have to rely on a Silencing Charm in order to sneak about undetected. He hadn't perfected catching Hermione, Potter, and Weasley off their guards a number of times at Hogwarts when the bothersome trio had been pussyfooting around the castle after curfew and breaking a number of school rules for nothing, after all.

One day, he and Hermione had both mused on a number of occasions, Severus would be able to hone his creeping-up-on-others-when-they-least-expected-it skills on their doomed daughters as well.

"Don't be cruel, Severus!" Hermione had snickered at him, swiping his shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Would you rather me allow them to break every rule, every curfew, as _you_ did, my dear?"

"Oh, rubbish! Of course not!"

"Then don't question my methods, witch."

Hermione had merely smirked amusedly and gone back to her reading material without another word.

Severus took a moment to linger by the bed, thoughtfully gazing down at Hermione as she dreamed. It was a peculiar indulgence his witch often did in reverse to him, and Severus was well-aware of the fact. He had woken up to find Hermione staring at him a number of times, wondering what in Merlin and Circe could be so utterly fascinating about watching him sleep (and snore, for that matter). This morning was an opportunity for the wizard, however, to get his fair share, and over time he had come to discover just how spellbinding sleep-watching Hermione really was. He may not have understood _Hermione's_ reasoning for doing so, but he certainly knew his own. She was unequivocally beautiful when unguarded and unmindful of being watched, her fair face entirely relaxed, with a rosy blush that blossomed unabashedly when not under the scrutiny of another's gaze.

Hermione's mouth hung limp and open, her brazen snoring louder from laying on her side. Her face was embroiled by her many untamable curls, and Severus allowed himself the briefest moment to reach out and capture a strand between his fingers, coiling it gently before letting it whisk out of his grasp. It was a small appeasement the wizard secretly missed whilst away during the week. Whenever he was home, Severus had sought to remedy the emotional aches and pains that separation from his family brought with them—not the physical kind that he and Hermione were well-attuned to, but sentiments so private he hadn't brought himself to share them yet with his wife.

Hermione sighed heavily in her sleep but, to Severus's relief, kept on dozing, so he reluctantly left his attractive wife where she lay, crept across the room as silently as a cat, and closed the door without a sound. Treading lightly on his bare feet, he ascended the stairs to the second level, where the girls would still be asleep, though their morning schedule was rather predictable. Thus, the lack of an extra half hour or so wouldn't cost he, nor the girls, any grievances.

Severus turned to the first door on his left—Lily's room—and knocked quietly before entering. He discovered his five-year-old eldest opening her blurry eyes, most of her tiny body hidden beneath a pile of blankets, and offered a faint smile as he approached her bed. "Good morning," he whispered, earning a sweet smile from his eldest, who looked up at him with outstretched arms, signaling the want of a hug from her father.

"Morning, Daddy!"

He would probably never grow immune to that sound. A warm greeting from his children always made his chest swell, whether it be a kind word or a warm embrace. He wasn't sure if they would ever know how deeply their acceptance and love affected him, but, one day, Severus avowed to express such sentiments properly.

Severus bent down to receive his daughter's hug and lightly pecked her cheek. "Want to help me with a surprise this morning?"

"Surprise?" Lily questioned, her brown irises studying the dark wizard inquisitively.

"Yes," he replied in a low purr. "Let's get your sisters up—_quietly_."

"Okay!"

The greatest difficulty was going to be getting all three of his little ones down the stairs without waking Hermione. Sure, he could cast a Silencing Charm—and he most certainly _would_ with three tumultuous little ones—but whatever non-magical, unexplainable bond existed between mother and child, Severus was certain it could stir even a heavily sleep-induced Hermione, particularly if the witch got the slightest inkling that her children were out of bed earlier than usual.

The questioning expression marring Lily's face never left, even as Severus and she crept into Surina's room down the hall to wake her as well, though the dark-haired witch's greeting was far grouchier than her sister's. "Why?" Surina moped and pouted, rubbing desperately at her tired-filled eyes. "Why, Daddy? I don't want to get up!"

Severus scooped four-year-old Surina into his arms to quiet her down, though the witch continued to whine and snuggled into his flannel shirt, burying her face against his neck. "Come on, you grumpy little bugger," he teased softly; the girl was far too much like he could often be in the mornings: bad-tempered and exhausted.

Surina kept her face hidden as she, Lily, and Severus lastly entered Hailey's room, where the three-year-old tot was already awake, having heard her father's and sisters' muffled voices in their bedrooms across the hall. "Daddy!" she exclaimed happily upon seeing the familiar pale-faced wizard clad in all-black pajamas.

Severus pursed his lips with a "shush" to quiet the excited witch, who was bouncing up and down in her bed. His other two daughters were getting rowdier as well, and a part of him was beginning to fear the noise would trickle downstairs soon if he didn't get the children under control. "I need you all to be quiet," he hissed, placing a long finger over his mouth.

He felt like an utter fool sometimes trying to communicate with the minds of little ones, but then, this was an animated side to him only his family glimpsed, and for which he would do anything for, even if it meant humiliating himself on occasion; or every time he was home.

"What are we doing, Daddy?" Surina asked, now in a better mood since she had had a few minutes to wake up.

Severus knelt down on the floor to be eye level with his children, all of whom peered back at him eagerly without any of the detectable fears his hair-raising presence could garner from youths at Hogwarts. To them, he wasn't a wizard to be feared but to be embraced and loved, without question or doubt.

"We're going to make breakfast for your mother," he explained, keeping his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. "I need you girls to be quiet, though. We don't want to wake her, all right?"

"Yes, Daddy!" Lily and Surina stated in unison; Hailey merely nodded her bushy head, holding tight to a raggedy doll that was pressed to her chest.

"Very well. We'll make enough for all of us, but, first, we'll make a breakfast for your mum."

"Pancakes, Daddy?" Lily suggested with a squeak; Hailey clapped her hands enthusiastically.

"Sure, we can make pancakes—"

"And eggs!" Surina chimed in.

"All right—"

"Toast!"

"Sausage!"

"Potatoes!"

"_Ice cream!_" Hailey squealed, interrupting her sisters' banter as she hopped into Severus's arms.

"Not for breakfast, little one." Severus shook his head, though his dark eyes were highly amused. "C'mon, you toe rags. Let's go downstairs. Without a sound."

Each girl giggled excitedly and crowded around Severus as they tiptoed the length of the hallway and down the stairs. Lily and Surina whispered to each other the whole way, though it was more like bossing one another about who got to walk in front of whom than light bantering. Hailey was carried by her father, who kept hissing to her siblings to "be quiet" or called for "silence"; it had little effect.

"Daddy?" she whispered as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "We be quiet?"

"Yes, munchkin."

Hailey placed a finger over her mouth to mimic what Severus had done earlier, and he couldn't withhold the smirk of amusement that crossed his lips in return. At least his littlest got the idea. His elder two, on the other hand...

"Stop pushing, Surina!"

"Then lemme go first!"

"No,_ I_ was here first!"

"No, you weren't!"

"_Stop it!_"

"_No_—"

Severus clenched his teeth and hissed once more for silence, giving a sharp toss of his head towards the bedroom door only feet from where he, Hailey, Lily and Surina stood, though the latter two kept pushing and shoving one another out of the way. Even with a Silencing Charm in place, Severus didn't trust their loud voices as far as he could toss them.

Ignoring their sneering father, Lily and Surina sprinted for the kitchen, each trying to outrun the other. Lily won the race, however, much to Surina's visible irritation. She crossed her arms heatedly and scowled at her sister in an uncanny-like fashion to Severus, who merely rolled his eyes and summoned pots, pans and ingredients with a flick of his wand. Casting three chairs over to the stove, he transfigured them into stools before the girls' eyes and cranked the oven on from the opposite end of the room, much to their delight. He made sure to cast Shielding Charms on them as well before allowing each to claim a stool and help him start on the pancakes.

"Why not magic, Daddy?" Surina questioned as Hailey helped stir the batter with Severus's aid.

"Because it's important to know how to cook, muffin," Severus explained quietly, deeply engrossed in what he was doing, which included assigning small tasks for each of his daughters, "And cooking by wand _never_ tastes as good as the old-fashioned Muggle way."

Surina scrunched up her nose at his reasoning but consented with a shrug. She had been tasked with cracking eggs into a frying pan and did so silently and cautiously, whilst Lily poured a kettle full of water to start brewing tea.

Severus allowed each of the girls to make a pancake or two from start to finish, though Hailey only attempted with Severus's help. Her small stature stood in front of him on the stool, her height only reaching to his chest, as Severus grasped her tiny hand in his that held the spatula. The two flipped the pancake swiftly in an effortless fashion. Hailey beamed from ear to ear, evidently pleased with her work.

Severus magically expanded the number of burners and weaved and dived his hands in between each swaying figure in front of him, working fast and instructing in what could only be described as a 'perfect chaos.' Lily, Surina, and Hailey giggled contentedly as they prepped food, with their father hovering over them and giving instructions; or pretending to let them do more tricky tasks themselves, though his hands were nearly always grasping theirs—close enough to pull them back if need be. In Hailey's case, that might also include some highly frizzy, bed-headed curls that hung in her eyes and kept swiping at Severus's face every time he bent down to whisper something in her ear.

"Put those on the tray, Lily, won't you?" Severus handed his eldest a plate full of pancakes dripped in syrup and sugar-covered blueberries.

"Surina, put some jam on the toast. No, no," he said strictly through a stern mouth, "use _that_ knife."

"Yes, Daddy," Surina snickered, shooting him a crafty smile as she picked up the butter knife on the kitchen table and proceeded to do as he asked.

Hailey, who had been adding powdered sugar to a few of the other food items without Severus's awareness, found herself snatched around the waist and hoisted off of her feet when Lily and Surina tattled, thereby getting the wizard's attention. She squealed at him putting a stop to her sweetening Hermione's entire breakfast and received an affectionate growl in her ear as reprimands.

"I'm going to keep a closer eye on you, you cheeky poppet. You are _not_ to be trusted in the kitchen."

Hailey giggled wildly in response._ That_ seemed to earn the clever girl a kiss to her the cheek rather than an actual punishment.

Severus vanished the excess sugar, much to Hailey's pouting. Lily and Surina were too busy roving over their mother's delicious, hot breakfast with big, hungry eyes to think on the magic their father had used.

"I'll feed you all next, but, right now, lets take this to Mum, all right?"

Hailey cocked her head to the side in puzzlement. "Why, Daddy?" she asked in a high-pitched voice. Lily and Surina, too, peered up at the wizard through questioning stares.

"Because your mum does so much for us every single day," Severus offered back, his silky voice laced with soft undertones reserved only for when speaking of his family, "that we should do something nice for _her_, don't you think?"

"Yes, Daddy!" all of the Snapes concurred, their heads nodding in unison.

"Your mum deserves something like this, so we're going to treat her this morning."

"Because she's our Mummy?" Lily suggested sweetly, swaying back and forth with her hands shoved behind her back.

"Yes, Lily, and also because that's what you should do for the ones you love." Severus found himself conveying the words with ease and clarity, and in a gentle tone that remained unbeknownst to the outside world, beyond the charming confinements of this compact kitchen currently occupied by a former Death Eater and three magnetic youngsters. "We show the ones we love how much we appreciate them. Not just today, but every day."

* * *

Hermione heard the girls approaching before the door creaked opened. She had thought she had heard hushed, albeit highly charged, voices hollering earlier, but her eyelids were heavy and not ready to open yet. Then again, perhaps she had dreamed it. Odd, considering that she hadn't felt Severus stir beside her. Even the faintest creak in the house could send that man shooting upright in bed, his wand drawn and ready to strike. Thankfully, time had lessened those anxieties, as well as his striking reflexes, allowing the wizard to sleep more soundly nowadays, his nerves not nearly as combative as they had once been.

Still, Hermione thought it strange that Severus hadn't moved or made a noise. Either he was already up—_Poor man_—or too worn out this morning. _I don't hear any snoring, though._

That had been the last thought to pass her by as Hermione drifted off to sleep again, only to be awoken by the arriving footsteps just outside her door. Whatever Silencing Charm in place had been lifted. Thus, she could hear giggles and general muffling, along with a much deeper register she recognized well to belong to that of her husband.

Confused, Hermione pried her eyelids apart. The door swung open and in skipped three energetic little witches: dark, fair, and bushy-haired, respectively. Hermione's mouth etched into a wide grin as the girls came running towards her, pouncing onto the bed with hardly a sound, though Hailey struggled for a moment with her doll to climb up onto the mattress.

"Morning, Mummy!"

"Hi, Mummy!"

"_Mummy!_" her youngest squeaked, crawling towards Hermione to be scooped up into the witch's arms.

"Good morning," she returned cheerfully, taking a moment to peck each of her daughters on the cheek. "This is unexpected! What are you three doing out of bed?"

Lily and Surina pointed to a tray that hovered in front of Severus, who was standing back aways. Hermione's eyes trailed to, first, the extravagant, mouth-watering display of food and then to the alluring silhouette of her husband, positioned at the edge of the bed with a quiet gleam in those raven-colored eyes. His hair was attractively tousled and he appeared rather sleep-deprived, but still as handsome to her as ever.

"What's all this?" she murmured, taken aback by the breakfast tray.

"Breakfast, Mummy!" Lily chimed, hopping up and down on her knees.

Surina raised her head proudly. "We made it!"

"For _me?_"

"Yes, Mummy!" Hailey tittered, and found herself bundled to Hermione's chest; the elder witch eyed the food with consideration.

"How thoughtful..."

Lily scooted closer. "Because we love you, Mummy."

"Because Daddy said 'that's what you do for people you love.'" Hermione smiled at her tiny Slytherin-in-the-making, and reached over to bestow the pale child with another wet smack to her cheek. Surina curled her nose in disgust and dramatically moved away, groaning, "_Mummy!_" in a manner that made her siblings and Hermione laugh.

Severus slithered closer with the suspended tray, encouraging the children to give his wife some room. He lowered it to Hermione's lap with his wand, watching triumphantly as she gawked at the elaborate platter in awe.

After a quiet moment, Hermione's eyes rose to Severus's face, a moving expression mounting her features. "What prompted this?" she whispered, her question directed more towards the wizard alone than the entire family.

Not wanting her emotional display to affect his response, Severus swallowed and bent down to gently kiss her forehead, hoping his gesture of appreciation was well-understood. "You do so much for the girls and me everyday," he issued in a strained tone, trying to keep his voice steady, "I—_We_—wanted to do something for you to let you know how much you're appreciated."

"Yes, Mummy!" each of the girls additionally interposed.

For a moment, Hermione had forgotten she and Severus weren't alone. She fluttered her eyelashes and attempted to vanquish the lump forming at the back of her throat. Overwhelmed, she reached out a hand to stroke the side of Severus's face and craned her neck up towards him, silently pining for a kiss, which Severus readily afforded her.

"Thank you," she said softly once their lips parted, thoughtfully brushing her thumb along Severus's morning stubble.

Severus shot her an understated smile. Then he cleared his throat and motioned to the children affirmatively, giving a sharp nod towards the bedroom door. "Come along, girls. I'll make you all breakfast now."

Severus winced at the loud squeals of delight that followed that proposal. Lily hugged her mother a final time before leaping off the bed and dashing after Surina, who had made a head start for the kitchen, intent on reaching it first this time. Hailey and Hermione shared another kiss. Then the youngest crawled over to Severus to wrap her dainty arms around his neck, hugging him tightly along with her rag doll. The once regularly testy wizard accepted his daughter's cherished embrace without hesitation, and set the toddler on the ground, with his arms also snaked around her in return. His hooked nose was buried within her curls. Hermione watched him mutter something in the child's ear before setting her free to skip off to the kitchen, too.

Hermione extended her hand out to her husband once they were alone, though the witches' shrilling giggles from down the hall could easily be heard. Severus accepted her hand and slunk down onto the bed beside her, enlivened by his wife's squeeze of appreciation. The cunning Slytherin in him was proud with what he had managed to pull off.

"This is wonderful, love, _thank you so much_," she echoed a second time.

"You deserve a lot more than a breakfast, Hermione," Severus stressed, causing her to snort and shake her head.

"I don't feel slighted or unappreciated in the least, Severus. Ever."

"I am glad, but even so..." Severus's grasp around her hand tightened. "You've done so much for the girls... For _me_... I..." He opened and closed his mouth several times, suddenly unable to get words out.

Sufficing that he might lose his composure if he said anything more, Severus brought the back of Hermione's hand to his lips to kiss it a few times, hoping the gesture might be enough. He felt ridiculous now that he couldn't express his sentiments properly to the witch who deserved to hear his words, but, like she was always capable of ascertaining in her own way, Hermione seemed to understand what Severus lacked the capacity to say aloud.

Her smile waned a little as she shifted the tray off of her lap in order to scoot forward and throw her arms around Severus's neck, embracing him as warmly as ever. "I know, love," she offered comfortingly; she nuzzled her nose against his neck. "_I know. _Thank you. Thank you so much for this. It's just lovely."

Slowly, Severus's warm hands coiled around her back and pulled her near, and for nearly a minute, the couple simply held on to one another, the easing silence between them transmitting what their hearts, too, spoke. Severus was the first to pull back, and his hands reached around from his neck to take possession of both of Hermione's hands in his.

"Take the day for yourself," he suggested, much to Hermione's surprise. "Call Ginny and go shopping, or have the reading room all to yourself. I'll take care of the girls."

Hermione arched an eyebrow. "You sure about that, love?"

To her merriment, Severus narrowed his eyes in a challenging manner. "I _have_ done it before, Hermione. I'm quite capable of looking after them by myself."

"I wasn't trying to suggest that you couldn't, Severus!" she chuckled lightly and squeezed his hands. "I just... Are you _really_ sure?"

"Yes," he asserted in a steely tone of voice, "I am. Now, go with it before I change my mind."

Hermione sighed, the smile lining her mouth stretching in appreciation. "Very well. If you insist, love."

"_I do._" A crash of pots and pans erupting from the kitchen stirred the wizard off of the bed, his hands quickly falling out of Hermione's. "What in Merlin's name?" he growled as he took off out of the room.

Hermione chuckled to herself as she watched Severus stalk away out of sight, taking a piece of her with him. Even without his signature cloak, his windswept, black hair gave off enough of a billowing effect as to be dramatic—and utterly enticing.

Once she heard him taking charge of the situation, reprimanding Lily and Surina for apparently trying to start breakfast on their own, Hermione happily settled in to indulge in the luxury her family had presented her with this morning, only, the longer she sat in bed nibbling at her hearty breakfast, the less contented she felt.

The atmosphere was too still, too quiet, and it wasn't long before the tiny, sweet voices she overheard, along with Severus's silky-smooth baritone, made Hermione ache for their presence. Her husband certainly had had the best of intentions this morning—it had been far too long since Hermione had received a morning all to herself to do as she pleased—but, suddenly, the witch found she no longer wanted what Severus was gifting her with, even if she appreciated it all the same.

Hermione quickly hopped out of bed, threw on her tatty, worn slippers and a heavy jumper, and strolled down the hall with her tray hovering in front of her. She entered the kitchen to find a comforting—and humorous—sight, indeed.

Severus and the girls were seated at the kitchen table, each eating tasty breakfasts of their own, though Lily and Surina kept pausing to poke or prod one another with their forks and spoons, much to Severus's exasperated scolding. "Cut it, you two," he hissed more than once in a short span of time, "before I wring you up by your ankles and send you packing off to Hagrid's hut to be used as bait for his latest dangerous purchase."

The wizard's threat was ineffective, however, for all it did was get all three snickering. "She started it!" Surina insisted and stuck out her tongue at Lily, who huffed back with a degree of annoyance.

"I did _not!_"

Severus groaned behind his cup of coffee. After taking a sip, his eyes settled on his wife hovering at the edge of the kitchen. His eyebrow quirked upward in curiosity.

"Mind if I join you?"

It was a rhetorical question, and not one any of her family was opposed to. Hermione lowered her tray onto the table and took a seat next to Severus, who continued to survey her with puzzlement over his cup.

"Well,_ that_ didn't last long."

Hermione simply smiled back at him, reaching her hand across the table to snatch his. "You know I can't stay away from you scoundrels too long, no matter how much of a headache you lot give me."

Severus's eyebrow raised higher on his forehead. "You mean to tell me you'll forgo a day catching up on every tome you've wanted to read for months for..._that?_"

His colorless eyes motioned towards a distracted Hailey, seated next to him with a spoon of cinnamon oatmeal which she was currently turning over and dripping onto the table, conveying to her father that she did _not_ approve of eating such insipid goop. "_No, Hailey_," Severus growled, but his attempts to chastise only earned him a sneaky smile instead. "If you don't want to eat it, then leave it alone."

"Wand, Daddy!" the adorable tot insisted, pointing to the glob of mush on the table; apparently, she wanted to see Severus use magic to clean the mess. "Wand!"

Hermione snickered with gratification, her illuminated irises appraising her husband with a warmth that comforted him immensely, even in the midst of a disorderly breakfast such as this morning's. "Yes, love," Hermione contended through a broad grin, "I'd much rather spend the day with you and the girls than any other way. And besides, I can read when the girls go down for the night, like always.

"No... This is far more enticing to me than a day spent alone without you and the girls."

With that, Hermione took a sip of the Earl Grey tea her family had brewed for her and eliminated Hailey's oatmeal with a flick of her wand, much to the lookalike's enchanting laughter and claps for "more." Severus, too, accepted his wife's decision, with quiet gratefulness.

* * *

**A/N #2: Hope you liked it?  
**


	17. Turning Tides

**A/N: I have a fun and (hopefully) thoughtful piece for you this time. And a big shout out to my wonderful friend, Kim, for whom this one-shot is dedicated. :) I hope you all enjoy it!**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me. **

* * *

**Turning Tides**

_Severus has a matter taken care of that ends up costing him a lot of unwanted questions_

_(Prompt from Kim, who asked for a funny one-shot about Severus...well, you'll see!, and how the rest of the family reacts to the poor man's situation. Alas, this prompt also happens to lay to rest the possibility of more Snapes farther on down the road, but it's meant to be. Four girls, I think, is about all our brave couple could handle. While I would have loved to give them a fifth, I just can't visualize it. Not with the **Unquestionable Love** series, anyhow.)_

* * *

Severus uttered a series of colorful curse words under his breath but managed to restrain his twitching hand from reaching for his wand. He would have been more than content to send the blasted dunce standing in front of him spiraling backwards into the wall. Instead, he ground his teeth together and breathed heavily through his nostrils, keeping his face as expressionless as possible; but his eyes were fuming.

The Wizarding version for severing the possibility of future children hadn't been an easy decision to reach—not for Severus, nor his wife—but it _had_ to be done. After the unexplainable miracle that was their fourth child, Jeannie, whose birth defied Healers' expertise and explanations, as well a harrowing trial with the birth of their third daughter, Hailey, Severus and Hermione had reached the reluctant decision to not try for any more children. Since Hermione had already taken the preventative measures a witch could take after Hailey to ensure she wouldn't get pregnant again, and it ultimately hadn't worked, that left Severus with the unfortunate task of doing the only thing _he_ could do to prevent another unexplainable pregnancy: a Wizarding version of a vasectomy.

Never had Severus considered himself more grateful to live in the magical world than he did at this very moment, sitting in a young Healer's office with his hands knotted together in front of him. Instead of any sort of painful Muggle procedure that involved having his bits surgically altered, Severus had been prescribed a potion that would remedy the situation, and make it permanent for as long as he desired it to be so. That didn't ensure that the task wouldn't still be painful, but the side effects were only to last for twenty-four hours before everything supposedly would "return to normal."

As the Slytherin sat stiffly in an unknowing Healer's office, Severus felt utterly humiliated with the whole affair, particularly as the idiot before him kept rambling on about various side effects that he would much rather_ not_ breach publicly with anyone, let alone in any sort of great detail.

_I can surmise a bloody thing or two on my own!_ he stewed internally. _Imbecile!_

A colorful 'fuck off' wasn't far from the tip of his tongue, but, somehow, Severus managed to restrain himself, though it took every ounce of composure he had not to simply whisk the potion out of the Healer's hand, drink it down, and be off; but, alas, he forced himself to sit still.

Once the appointment was through, Severus downed the disgusting potion in one rigid swing and took off at full speed. He loathed ever returning to St. Mungo's, particularly since being cured of Nagini's venom. The many years spent in and out of the Wizarding hospital had taken a toll on his anxiety level and, upon every revisit, Severus couldn't prevent himself from pondering the worst case scenario: the return of his illness.

Nagini's venom had proven over the years damned near incurable, and the notion that it might possibly rear its ugly head once more was never far from Severus's mind, nor, he suspected, Hermione's. Every three-month checkup brought with it heightened nerves and angst-ridden, dark thoughts. Thus, even a separate appointment such as this afternoon's, which had nothing to do with his usual hospital visits, stirred underlying apprehensions in its wake. The Healer had cast a diagnostic check on Severus before issuing the potion, as was routine for any such procedures, and yet, it was still a dreadful moment waiting on the results, leaving Severus holding his breath until the matter was concluded.

Everything had come back relatively normal. _Thank Merlin..._

By the time Severus reached home, a familiar warmth and comfort swept over his nerves, replacing the stress and easing the tension. The tightness in Severus's chest subsided, leaving him in a much better state than he had been when he left earlier that morning.

The next twenty-four hours weren't going to be exactly relaxing, however, and it wasn't long before Severus Flooed through the grate of his sitting room that the painful symptoms began.

* * *

"Severus, what on earth are you doing?"

_Nagging already, I see!_ Severus sneered and turned around, spotting an open-mouthed Hermione stalking towards his garden with an air of exasperation written across her features. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he challenged through a hiss, quickly turning away from her to extract a handful of vegetables from the soil to be used in potion ingredients.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be doing _anything_ today?"

Severus could sense Hermione now directly behind him, hovering over the wizard as he crouched down and pulled out several vegetables by the roots. "Gardening isn't going to kill me, Hermione," he insisted, wincing discretely at the uneasiness he had been experiencing most of the afternoon.

Hermione and Jeannie had been visiting the Grangers when Severus went for his appointment, and he had been rather insistent that Hermione not be there. This was one occasion where the pride in Severus much preferred to go it alone. Hermione had been a tad disappointed in his insistence, but she respected his wishes, nevertheless.

"Severus, I'm sure the Healer told you to rest for the next twenty-four hours. Would you please _stop?_"

"I will once I've collected the ingredients I need."

"Since when were you planning on brewing today?" Hermione huffed from behind him, planting her hands firmly on her hips as she watched Severus continue to work as if she hadn't spoken.

"I _wasn't_ planning on it, witch!" he growled back, letting out an audible noise that, to Hermione, sounded much like a groan of discomfort, "but I'm not just going to sit around all day and focus on it, am I?"

With a defeated sigh, Hermione reached down and placed a hand on Severus's shoulder, staring thoughtfully at the back of his head of long, stringy black hair. She wasn't sure if now was a good time to pester her husband, but she really _did_ want to know how he was feeling, in any case.

What she _wasn't_ prepared to discuss yet was the notion that their family of four had been permanently clinched, as of today...

"How did it go?" she whispered considerately, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Severus halted his efforts and drew back onto his knees, though he didn't meet her eyes. "Fine," he muttered quietly; she couldn't tell if his tone was angry, indifferent, or its usual brand of snarkiness.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, thank you, I'm perfectly all right."

"Well, I'm going to send Jeannie out here anyway."

Severus's ears perked up. By the time he whipped his head around, however, Hermione was already half-way across the yard and heading back inside the house.

"Whatever for?" he called out to her retreating silhouette.

"To help you out!"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," he growled irritably, gritting his teeth in frustration, "I'm not a cripple, Hermione!"

"No, you're just a grouch!" she teased over her shoulder, adding a "more than usual," to her jibe before disappearing from view.

Severus slumped his shoulders, griped under his breath, and resumed his work, though the pains he kept experiencing made him hiss a few more curse words as he tried to put the potion out of his mind.

A few minutes later, six-year-old Jeannie came skipping into her father's garden, humming to herself as she approached. She crouched down beside Severus, appraising his work for some time before chiming curiously, "Whatcha doing, Daddy?" in that whimsical, sweet-sounding voice of hers like always.

Severus didn't look up but could detect the power and awe of Jeannie's magic at his side. "Checking on these vegetables here; making sure they're ripe for picking."

"Can I help?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, his face slowly meeting his daughter's to take in her black eyes that, so much like his own, were swimming with eagerness. "Your mother put you up to this, didn't she?"

Jeannie let out a series of giggles and settled herself against him, leaning into the wizard's arm and resting her head on his shoulder. "Yes!" she replied, grinning from ear to ear in a manner that could draw him out of his surliest moods. "But I _want_ to, Daddy! Please? Lemme help!"

"Very well," he consented with a softer expression.

It wasn't long before the curly-haired young witch had taken over Severus's tasks, leaving him to instruct her as to what to pick and what to leave alone. Severus stood close by as Jeannie crawled about in the dirt, laughing happily as her hands and trousers became dirtier by the minute. She didn't miss the occasional strange noises Severus made either and, by the time they were through picking ingredients and heading back towards the house with a bucket levitated in front of them, Jeannie couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

"Daddy?"

"Mmm?" Severus was too distracted by the contents they had gathered, formulating in his mind how he intended to use them for future brewing, to, at first, take in Jeannie's befuddled look over.

"Why are you walking funny?"

Jeannie's question was so unexpected that Severus abruptly stopped in his tracks and peered down his hooked nose at his daughter, searching her scrunched up features suspiciously. "I beg your pardon?"

His returning question was met simply by more lighthearted giggling at his expense. "You're walking funny!" she repeated, causing Severus's cheeks to blush scarlet.

"I most certainly am _not._"

Jeannie's fetching smile stretched across her face. "You most certainly am _are!_"

"There is nothing wrong with the way I'm walking, Jeannie," Severus insisted in a low growl, which only made his youngest laugh harder, much to his growing discomfort.

"It's all right, Daddy! But you _are_ walking funny! Why? Did you hurt yourself?"

"Never you mind."

Severus shook his head and stalked onward, Jeannie skipping along at his side all the way up a few steps to their patio and to the back door. She continued hounding the wizard for an answer, but Severus pretended not to hear, which seemed to only fuel Jeannie's laughter.

Father and daughter found Hermione in the kitchen, setting the table for dinner with her wand, though she paused and turned her head curiously at the sound of Jeannie's infectious giggles. As Severus came tailing into the kitchen, Hermione understood what was making the child laugh. She smiled warmly at the sight of Severus's flustered expression.

"Jeannie, take those ingredients downstairs to Daddy's lab, won't you?"

Severus willingly handed off the contents to the cheeky little witch, who bounced away down the hall, her voluminous curls swaying back and forth. Once she was out of earshot, Hermione patted Severus's shoulder, giving a silently reassuring look before turning away to continue with dinner.

"Did you not expect her to notice?" Hermione snickered as Severus made to leave the room.

"Thank you for that," he fired back over his shoulder.

"It's _Jeannie_, love. It wouldn't be like her to not to pay close attention."

"That doesn't mean she has to_ keep_ pestering!"

"No, you're right," Hermione agreed with a soft chuckle, "but what do you expect from a six-year-old?"

Severus grumbled and crossed his arms. To Hermione, eying him thoughtfully from the kitchen sink, the sight before her resembled a petulant, child-like Severus rather than the grown man she knew. She bit back her laughter as much as she could, understanding how out of sorts the poor wizard must be feeling; but it was a trying effort.

"It should pass by tomorrow, shouldn't it?"

"It damned well better!"

Jeannie suddenly emerged from Severus's laboratory. She strolled over to the exasperated wizard and threw her arms around his waist, causing Severus to flinch and grunt in pain. "What should pass, Daddy?" she questioned, intrigued, either ignoring or not catching the sore look that crossed his face.

"Jeannie," Hermione interrupted; she tossed her head towards the cooking ingredients scattered on the kitchen counter, "care to help me with dinner?"

"Yes, Mummy!"

Easily distracted, Jeannie sauntered over to help, much to Severus's relief. He caught the wink that his wife threw him before she began summoning tasks to their youngest. It was just the sort of getaway Severus needed at the moment, and, gratefully, he crept out of the kitchen in haste, more than ready to put all of this behind him.

_What a bloody nuisance this whole business is!_

* * *

"So..."

Severus opened his eyes, his gaze soft and subdued with his witch tucked securely against his chest. "So..." he repeated in a sedated-like purr.

Hermione gently pecked his chest and flopped her head back against his shoulder, wearing a considerate look whilst staring deep into his eyes. A dainty hand absentmindedly stroked the wizard's slightly furred chest. Severus nearly dozed off after a few minutes, aware of what was pressing his wife's mind, though she hadn't sought to get the words out. He knew Hermione would breach the topic in her own time, however, and, thus, re-shut his eyes, that was until she shifted in his arms and bestowed his cheek with a light kiss that startled him out of his near unconsciousness.

"I suppose that's that then..."

Her words carried with them an echo of sadness for which Severus tightened his grip around her waist. "It had to be done, Hermione."

"I know, I know." She sighed into the darkness, staring up at him with mixed emotions. "Are you...relieved?"

"That it's over with? Yes." Severus's eyelids fluttered. His dark eyes searched his wife's thoughtfully for a moment before replying, "I'm content, Hermione, if that's what you're asking." Hermione's eyes shifted away before resettling on his face, her regard solemn. Quietly, Severus craned his neck to kiss her forehead. "We have four healthy children, my dear..."

"Yes, I - I know. I don't mean to sound at all ungrateful."

"You don't."

"And I don't think I ever wanted more children than what we have—"

"I should think not."

Hermione quirked a smile, but it fell as quickly as it appeared. "I just... I'm having a harder time with this than I expected, Severus."

"_You're_ having a hard time?"

Alluding to his own discomfort, Hermione let out a shrill of soft giggles and amusedly swiped Severus's chest. She then re-cushioned her head beneath his chin, a halfhearted smile etched across her mouth, but it didn't possess its usual spark, and didn't go unnoticed by the Slytherin laying at her side.

Hermione's arms wrapped themselves possessively around Severus's torso, squeezing gently. "My poor wizard," she mumbled teasingly against his skin; Severus could detect the smile hidden from view and reached down beneath the covers to smack her behind. Hermione yelped, and then tickled his skin with more laughter.

"My insufferable pain in the arse," he griped in return.

"Oh, come off it."

"The things I go through for you, witch."

"I believe _you_ were very much a part of this decision, love."

"Mmm. Don't remind me that I went through this willingly, would you?" Once Hermione quieted down, her breathing even and easy against his chest, Severus affectionately brushed her forehead with the tip of his nose. "Are you all right?" he pressed quietly, unsure as to how she was coping.

Hermione didn't reply immediately. Slowly, she rubbed her hand along his arm, tracing a few slash marks near his shoulder.

"Yes... That is, I _will_ be. For some reason, it just pains me to know that that stage of our lives is over. No more baby coos, no more little beings to cradle in our arms, no more diaper changes—"

"Thank Merlin and Circe," Severus deadpanned. Another smack to his chest followed that remark.

"Aren't you going to miss that stage, too?"

"Of course I will, Hermione."

"Imagine us with a fifth..."

The atmosphere suddenly went deadly quiet. Hermione tentatively shifted her curly head to peer up at her husband, who's raven irises were focused on the ceiling without blinking or moving, though she could sense the wheels turning behind their depths.

"Absolutely not," Severus finally responded into the still air, his features sharp and serious.

Hermione burst into laughter, feeling herself falling back into good spirits. "Too difficult to picture?" she goaded cheekily.

The lines that formed Severus's mouth grew more severe. "Too exhausting to consider."

"Mmm, you're probably right." Hermione embraced him tightly again and let out a heavy sigh, her head sinking further into his chest. "I'll miss the probability of it, though, even if it was never meant to be..."

Feeling another delicate brush of a pair of familiar lips to her brow, Hermione's body eased into Severus's, comforted by their warm, firmly intertwined embrace.

"So shall I," Severus's deep voice echoed softly in reply. "You should take comfort in the fact that there will be more little ones eventually, though, Hermione. They may not be ours, per say, but they will be a part of lives all the same..."

Hermione's mouth curled into a dreamy smile. "Grandparents? Now _there's_ a suggestion I never thought I'd hear coming from _you_."

Severus grumbled in response, "I refuse to acknowledge it happening anytime within the next three decades, but _eventually_..."

Hermione stifled a few chuckles into the wizard's chest. "Yes... One day..."

"Until then, we have four of our own to enjoy."

"We do." Hermione paused, though she was now on the verge of drifting into a contented sleep. "We're so blessed, Severus, you know that? Even though I'm a little sad to see this stage of our lives pass, we're_ really_ lucky."

"Indeed, we are," Severus wholeheartedly agreed, his own voice growing heavy with sleep. "We're most fortunate. _So very blessed_..." A minute or so later, he piped up sluggishly, "Hermione?"

"Mmm?"

"I will _never_ go through this again."

Hermione barely managed a smile, for she was too exhausted now. "Nor would I ever wish it of you, love."

A brief pause followed and then, "Hermione?"

"Yes, Severus?"

"Was I _really_ walking funny today?"

This time, Hermione _did_ crack a complete smile, her eyes still closed. "Aside from looking like you had your balls stuck in a vice..."

To this, Severus muttered irritably under his breath, which Hermione didn't fully catch, as she was simply too tired. She snickered in his fold, the two embracing one another tightly before their bodies went slack.

Eventually, to the lull of one another's steady heartbeat, Severus and Hermione fell into a comfortable sleep—well, at least, one of them did—for the remainder of the night.

* * *

**A/N #2: Poor, dear Severus. Why do ya'll enjoy putting him in uncomfortable situations? Because there's more of _that_ to come... ;)**


	18. Love and Loss

**A/N: I'm terribly sorry for such a long delay in getting this posted! ****If you haven't checked my Profile lately, my grandmother passed away roughly a week and a half ago, and the week before and after her passing was cripplingly writing-wise, and my attention was directed elsewhere. **

**Ironically, though, I had started this one-shot shortly before her sudden decline. (Kind of funny in life how such things transpire.) Anyway, I honestly have _no idea_ if I've done this prompt justice, as it basically poured out of me as a result of my personal experience, so I've left it virtually unchanged. I do hope those of you who wanted this prompt fulfilled like the result. All I can say is it came from the heart, and I'd like to dedicate it to both of my grandparents, who are no longer with me. **

**(Thanks to the informative ladies "across on the pond" on the SSHG Facebook page for letting me know the proper names for addressing grandparents in the UK.)**

_**As always, I welcome everyone's feedback! It's the only external joy I can take from writing these pieces.  
**_

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me.**

* * *

**Love and Loss**

_The Snape family struggles to cope with the death of a loved one._

_(This prompt comes from several readers, and hopefully I haven't left anyone out: **bluefirefly5**, **ChesterK**, **expectosemprapatronum**, and **woodshark**, respectably. Some of you had suggested the death to be one of Hermione's parents, whilst others suggested Minerva McGonagall. I decided to go with one of Hermione's parents, however, as I knew that would make it more personal for the girls, too, so this is set when they are all considerably older, i.e. Lily and Hailey are married by now.)_

* * *

Hermione tried to pull herself together by tugging at her collar and focusing on her breathing. She had known this moment was coming, after all—well before she got the phone call from her mother earlier that morning, informing her that her father had taken a "turn for the worse." Hospice had been called in a week prior, and George Granger's grim prognosis had been given less than a week. After nearly ninety years, his heart was failing, he refused to eat, and he was struggling to form words.

Hermione had spent the majority of the week treading back and forth from the Muggle nursing home, helping her mother and making sure that all of her father's affairs were in order. She was grateful to be busy, actually. Too much time led to too much thinking. As her husband had so often expressed over the years, too much time to be burdened by contemplation was "never a good thing."

And it was emotionally crippling moments such as this that forced Hermione to acknowledge just how right her wizard was.

Hermione sucked in a trembling breath and found her hand quickly scooped up by Severus, who squeezed it affectionately and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulder. They had reached the door to her father's room and, beyond the metal door that divided her from her ailing father, Hermione expected what she would tragically find: the terribly sad, fragile remnants of a dear man she had loved all of her life, who had doted on her as a child and expressed immense pride when he discovered that his daughter was a witch so many decades ago. He had accepted his daughter unconditionally, without question or second thought, and embraced the fiercely intelligent, special person that she was. Hermione had always been grateful for that. Outside of her parents, none of her extended family had understood or expressed that level of support. Not like Elizabeth and George.

The Grangers came to accept their daughter's lifestyle choice rather quickly, despite it ultimately dividing them from Hermione more than they cared to admit. They also had—with time and consideration—come to wholeheartedly accept Severus as their son-in-law.

It hadn't been an easy road to acceptance; things had gotten off to a rather patchy start, with much trepidation, questioning, and badly-chosen words on George's part. Just as time heals wounded pride, though, George and Elizabeth Granger not only grew to acknowledge Severus Snape as their daughter's husband but also came to love and care for him as one of their own. It may not have generally sat well with Severus's reserved nature, but he quietly appreciated their acceptance, nonetheless, especially considering how great a comfort it was to Hermione.

Time hadn't lessened its effect on her heart, and Hermione silently wiped a tear from her eyes as she approached her father's room. She felt some tender rubbing against her shoulder and turned apprehensively to Severus, who was quietly appraising her through softened, dark eyes. "It's going to be all right," he whispered close to her face, trying to offer her words of solace. "He's comfortable; that's what's most important."

"Yes, I... I know."

Severus turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps, but Hermione didn't so much as tear her gaze away from the door. "The girls are here," he had to inform her to get her attention.

Hermione wearily turned around and spotted their four children strolling towards them, their wandering eyes darting about the place, taking in several staff members in blue and white scrubs. Jeannie and Hailey led the way, chatting idly about some of the Muggle IV and computer equipment that was hanging out in the hallway. Surina was staring at a few gurneys and elderly folk passing by in wheel chairs, either with intrigue or wariness, and Lily was staring straight ahead at her parents—more specifically, Hermione—with sympathy and concern written across her face. Severus was particularly grateful to have his eldest along today. Being a Healer enhanced Lily's natural ability to comfort and put those around her at ease, and he knew that she, especially, would know what to say and how to help the rest of the family cope with the situation.

Four witches greeted their parents quietly in the hallway with hugs, kisses, and casual inquiries as to a few notably missing persons from their party. "James is still at work," Lily explained in a low murmur. "I told him it would be fine to stay away, though. I think this is something that should stay amongst immediate family. We don't want to overwhelm Grandma."

"You're right; I'm sure she'd prefer that," Hermione acknowledged with a slight nod; her voice held a certain quiver that she hadn't been able shake since receiving her mother's phone call.

"And where's William?" Severus asked after Hailey's husband.

"With the kids; I would have discouraged him from coming anyhow. He didn't know Granddad too well."

Hermione took another deep breath, bringing everyone's focus back to what had brought them together in the first place. Lily stepped forward to take her by the hand.

"Let's go in," she encouraged as sweetly as possible, to which everyone agreed.

Lily led the way inside, knocking softly before entering the darkened room. An exhausted-looking Elizabeth Granger, with puffy, red-rimmed eyes and a pale complexion, sat next to a bed that was placed against the wall. White sheets had been drawn over a presently sleeping George. His wife appeared to be struggling to remain awake herself. She greeted them all through a painful, watery smile, receiving kisses and affection from each of her grandchildren, as well as Hermione and even Severus, who may have felt awkward but didn't hesitate to squeeze her hand.

"Do you want to step out for a moment, Mum? Get some air?" Hermione asked, but Elizabeth adamantly shook her head of long white hair that was gathered back into a braid.

"No... The hospice nurse just left. She said..." She paused to undoubtedly suppress the emotions creeping up the back of her throat. "She said it shouldn't be too long now. I have a button to buzz for her if need be, but I told her you all were coming, so I think she's going to let us be for a while..."

Jeannie inched towards the bed and took a seat near George's covered feet. Surina did likewise on the opposite side of the bed, whilst Hailey and Lily stood nearby. "Has he been awake at all, Grandma?" Jeannie inquired delicately.

"Off and on..." Elizabeth peered up at Hermione, her chin starting to tremble. "I - I'm not sure he's with it much anymore, sweetheart. He kept mentioning you as though you were already here."

Hermione flinched, fighting back the wave of emotions threatening to override her composure, already fragile as it was. She bent down to kiss her father's forehead whilst Severus looked on from behind her, one hand gently pressing his wife's back to let her know he was there.

"Dad?" Hermione spoke softly at first, then with more emphasis. "Dad? It's me. It's Hermione. I'm here..."

Slowly, George's eyes opened, but, to those gathered around his bed, those once twinkling brown eyes had lost much of their lively sparkle, faded to a dull amber that had lost its vitality. Lily came around to the opposite end of the bed and took George's other hand, leaning down along with Hermione to wake him.

"Hey, Granddad. It's Lily. Everyone's here to see you."

George attempted to speak, but it came out more like a hoarse whisper of nothing but air. Hermione bit down on her lower lip to keep from breaking down, allowing her eldest daughter to speak again.

"Are you thirsty, Granddad? Would you like some water?"

"No," he mouthed more than spoke.

"Are you comfortable?"

He nodded his head ever so slightly. "Yes."

"All right. Take your time." She gently stroked his arm, and her efforts seemed to relax him. "We're all here with you, Granddad. Grandma's here, and so is Mum, Dad, Surina, Hailey, and Jeannie."

It took him some time to process the word but, eventually, he rasped, "Everyone?"

Lily smiled warmly. "Yes, Granddad. _Everyone._"

"Oh... That is good..." His bleary eyes blinked a few times, eventually settling upon Hermione with a serene, considerate half smile. "Hermione..."

"Hey, Dad," Hermione choked out, reaching down to squeeze his shoulder. "How are you?"

George made a noise by way of reply. His eyes gradually came back into focus. "You'll be all right, won't you, dear?"

His question was unexpected, but the knowing, small smile curling the edges of his mouth forced Hermione to hitch a breath. A tear escaped her eyes, though she managed to answer through a quivering breath, "Yes, Dad, I - I will. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine; _just fine._"

"I don't worry. I know you will be." He paused to swallow, and his next words came out slow and strained. "Look after each other, you and Severus. _Love each other..._ That's what it's all about."

Despite her despair, Hermione cracked a smile for him. "I know, Dad, I know. We _do_ love each other very much."

"I know you do... Be good to yourself as well, though." His eyes swept over the young, remarkable faces of those surrounding him. "You, too, girls," he whispered. His words were exceptionally quiet but their emphasis was felt by all, and each of the children responded with thoughtful words of understanding.

Severus, somewhat hidden behind Hermione, was caught off his guard when George's hand slipped out of his wife's and, with difficulty, extended out to him. Somewhat unsure, Severus was prompted to take the man's trembling hand by Hermione, who urged him to do so under her breath.

Severus was immediately struck down by how cold his father-in-law's hand was, his grip frail and not at all what it had once been. It was as though he were already half gone—on the other side of the veil—and grasping for life as it slowly slipped away. The wizard was instantly reminded of that similarly chilling feeling himself, recalling it with perfect clarity in his mind.

When Severus had been sure he was about to succumb to death, there had been no bright light waiting for him, no heartwarming faces to welcome him home beyond the veil. Instead, he had been engulfed in darkness—a seemingly endless valley of shadow. The thought alone sent a shiver down his spine that was too subtle for anyone to notice except, perhaps, Jeannie, who was sitting just behind him on George's bed. Perhaps in the future his experience would be different, but the unsettling remembrance was enough to grip Severus pressingly like Devil's Snare. He stared down at the wasting away figure of George, his features schooled blankly.

"Severus... Son..." George addressed the hooked-nosed wizard with a certain respect that had grown with time. It wasn't often over the years that George had called Severus 'son,' but this time, it held a particular merit that outweighed all the others. "Take care of her..."

Severus wasn't aware that, in that moment, he had gone too still to breathe. "I will, George... Dad," he corrected himself uneasily, though no one paid his stumble any mind.

"Please... Take care...of my little girl."

Hermione's self-control was lost at that small plea conveyed out of love, and Severus discretely pressed his hand against her back in comfort. "I have, Dad, and I will continue to do so," he replied as thoughtfully as possible, for him. "You have my word."

A mutual understanding passed between the two men, and the lines around George's mouth lessened. "Thank you..."

George's icy hand fell out of Severus's and reached for Elizabeth's again, who took it gratefully into her own and locked eyes with her husband. George muttered a few words under his breath that were quite difficult for everyone else to make out, but Elizabeth seemed to understand them. She nodded solemnly.

"Yes, George... We do indeed, my love. We have a _wonderful_ family."

George managed another sliver of a smile and, for an instant, it was reminiscent of the old Dr. Granger that Severus and his children had come to know and appreciate. For Hermione, it was her father at his gentlest and sweetest nature, and she and her mother broke down in unison, crying softly as the man's eyes swept over their faces one last time before permanently closing at last.

There was another several minutes of silence, except for the occasional sniffling from Hermione, Elizabeth, or one of the girls, and then, with a final shuddering breath, George Granger passed away, his hand going slack in Elizabeth's and Lily's grasps. Hermione put a hand over her mouth to drown out her sobs, aware of a pair of sturdy arms that had woven themselves around her, basking her in warmth and comfort. Nearby, each of the girls cried tears of their own, embracing one another in grief and sorrow, whilst Lily slid over to her grandmother's side to hug Elizabeth close as she wept openly for the loss of her husband of over sixty years.

* * *

"Can I get you anything else, Elizabeth?"

"No, I..." Elizabeth's weary eyes absentmindedly swept over the guest bedroom of her daughter and son-in-law's home—a handsomely decorated space on the second level that had once belonged to Surina, and still held remembrances of its former occupant by its green-colored accents. "Thank you, Severus," she answered simply, though the former spy could clearly dissect the misery and exhaustion that lay beyond the words. She had just lost her husband hours ago and would now have to face the grave prospect of living alone and contending without a partner who had been by her side for over six decades.

Although Severus despised himself for even thinking on it, a horrifying thought crossed his mind as he stared down at his mother-in-law: _I never want to be in her position._

Quickly, he compliantly nodded and left a tray of tea by her bed, which he reheated with his wand before leaving. Elizabeth smiled appreciatively, though it was a forced expression of gratitude that Severus understood all too well. She was mentally and physically worn down, and needed time to wrestle through her grief.

_To think I might have put Hermione through a similar plight_, Severus considered with a deeply set frown as he swept out of the room.

Thankfully, Jeannie waltzed in to take his place and keep her grandmother company, smiling at her father as they passed each other at the door. Severus was quite content to have Jeannie and Surina spending the night at the house. It had been far too long since the Snape home had been filled with such life and occupancy, even if it was still as warm and inviting a place as the first day he and Hermione had moved in.

Severus quietly descended the stairs and entered the bedroom, where he found Hermione curled up in bed with a book in her lap and her curls pulled into a loose-fitting bun. He thought she looked overly wrought, mostly from crying so much. She had retreated to her books since they returned home, and hadn't eaten much at all at dinner, nor had her mother. He couldn't scold her for her lack of appetite, though; she had just lost her father. It was clear that the two Granger women were suffering the most of everyone over the loss, and that was to be expected.

Lily and Hailey had returned home to their families following dinner and promised to be back in the morning to help with funeral arrangements, as well as to spend time with their mother and grandmother. Severus had made it his task to take care of Hermione first and foremost, as well as her mother with whatever she may need in the coming days and weeks ahead, though, so far, he felt as though he hadn't done much at all except wordlessly console Hermione with hugs, shoulder rubs, and the occasional peck to the forehead.

"How about some tea?" he suggested, waiting on his wife to lay down her book and meet his gaze, which she did so slowly.

"I'm fine, Severus."

"No, you aren't," he insisted, giving her a critical scowl before adding more gently, "and that's perfectly all right."

Even from several feet away, Severus could perceive the tears welling up in her eyes again. "He had a good life, didn't he?"

Severus offered a consoling smile. "Yes, he did, my dear. He had _you_."

His words seemed to put her more at ease. With a heavy sigh, Hermione placed her book on her bedside table and moved her pillows about to get more comfortable.

"Will you come lay down with me?"

It was such a strained, quiet request; how could he refuse her? He smirked—a subtle, attractive gesture that only Hermione and their children ever glimpsed—and promptly removed his garments, changing into his usual black pajama bottoms. Gliding silently across the room, he crawled into bed beside Hermione and opened his arms to her.

As the years had passed, Severus's jutting hip bones and rather scrawny form had filled out healthily, and yet, aside from several more silver strands in his once all-black tresses, as well as a few more graceful-looking wrinkles off-setting the edges of his eyes and mouth, he looked virtually the same as the day he entered Hermione's Potions class in her first year, terrorizing them all with his brilliant speech, angry, dark eyes, and furious robe twirling. None of it had been an act, but it was an experience Hermione would always retain in her mind, and not just because the wizard had gone on to become her husband.

Hermione scooted into Severus's arms with ease, seeking physical solace from his loving embrace. His arms ensnared around her, providing immediate warmth, along with the steady drumming of his heartbeat against her ear. For a time, neither of them spoke, merely listening to the life and breath that their bodies exchanged with one another.

"Severus?" Hermione finally broke the silence, sounding uneasy.

Severus angled his neck to peer down at her, though it was difficult to make out her face with all of her frizzy curls in the way. He sensed, however, that she was crying, as her breaths were coming in quicker spurts. He instinctively pulled her tighter to his chest.

"What is it, Hermione?"

"Promise me..." She momentarily broke off to draw in a deeper breath. "Promise me we'll _never_ go through that."

_That _brought the wizard up short. Severus silently slid his fingers into the witch's hair to knead mindfully at her scalp. "Hermione," he whispered, trying to evoke some level of understanding, but she reacted by pressing herself harder against him.

"Losing my dad today reminded me of what it was like to nearly lose you...all over again..." She buried her face in his chest to muffle her sobs, her hair tumbling all over her head to disguise the tears and anguish.

Caught off his guard, Severus gave his wife a moment to cry in his arms. He burrowed his own face in all of her furious mop, unsure of what precisely to say that might provide her comfort.

Losing his own father hadn't exactly been painful, but the loss of his mother had been somewhat emotionally affecting, though not nearly on the level as normally was the case for the death of a parent. Tobias Snape had never treated his son with any ounce of affection, nor pride, and his mother, Eileen, had acted merely indifferent to Severus most of the time, though he came to understand that it was her crippling bouts of depression that had more to do with her lack of empathy than an actual dislike of his person.

Still, his grief had been drastically different from what Hermione was currently wrestling, and that gave him pause as he tried to formulate what to say.

"Don't think about that, Hermione," Severus finally issued softly into her ear. "It was a long time ago. I'm no longer in any danger."

Hermione reemerged from hiding, her face a mess of wet tears and flushed cheeks. "I don't ever want us to be without each other, Severus. I... I don't want to live without you."

Severus couldn't answer; he felt suddenly frozen in place and could only tenderly respond by stroking the side of her face. Thankfully, she seemed to nonverbally understand his regard and all the unspoken words he couldn't bring himself to utter.

Hermione's pain-filled eyes bore into his, filled with a desperation he hadn't seen in years. "Promise me you won't leave me all alone."

Severus rattled to the quick; he hadn't expected her to say that, nor any of this, and his response was hardly decipherable beyond of a series of quick blinks. His black eyes regarded Hermione with care, his mouth clamped shut for a long pause before he came back with a reply.

"_I promise._ I'm not going anywhere, Hermione, and neither are you."

Severus craned his neck to lightly bestow her with a kiss to one of her wet cheeks, attending to the tears that continued to fall down her face as the distraught witch fought back the sobs creeping up her throat once more. With a few hushed words, and a re-bundling of intertwined arms, Hermione sunk back into Severus's comforting fold again and cried herself to sleep, the smooth rocking motion of the man she was pressed to helping her aching heart calm faster than any other remedy could bring.

Once she was fast asleep, undoubtedly exhausted from the past week's slow decline of her father's health, Severus loosened his grip and stared into the roaring fireplace to his left, thinking on the parting words George Granger had said to him: _'Take care of my little girl.'_

How greatly Severus understood those gripping words, now more than ever. Hermione had been and steadfastly remained George Granger's child until his dying day, even after she grew up, got married, and started a family of her own; so, too, would Severus's own children forever remain his girls—all four of them. Each one may have outgrown his lap, but like Hermione had long been to her father, neither Lily nor Surina nor Hailey nor Jeannie would ever outgrow his heart. *****

It was an immensely comforting thought that eased Severus to sleep that night, along with the familiar warm feel of a certain witch resting divinely in his arms.

* * *

George Granger's funeral service was an emotional affair for Elizabeth, Hermione, and the children, all of whom openly expressed their grief and said tearful goodbyes. Severus remained somber and quiet throughout the day, and stuck to consoling his wife for most of it, offering whatever gentle words of solace he could that might help Hermione move past her sorrow.

"You have a lifetime of memories, love," he reminded her whenever she grew too emotional to speak. "Hold on to them."

It was difficult, however, for the private wizard not to reflect on his and Hermione's own futures; that perhaps one day their own children would gather together for a day of mourning such as this one, and that either he or Hermione might outlive the other.

Looking upon his mother-in-law on occasion was an afflicting reminder that they, too, may one day be touched by such overwhelming grief. _May I live one day less then Hermione to never know of such heartache..._

Following the service, the immediate family, as well as Elizabeth and the grandchildren, gathered at the Snapes' home for a late lunch. An overcast sky set the tone for the day respectfully, and everyone kept to the indoors—the place abuzz with the returning life and delight of small, clambering footsteps. For Severus and Hermione, it was a joyful reminder of what their home had once been: when four young witches had stamped their signatures on the house with heartfelt laughter and footprints.

As the family spread out on the first floor, some conversing in the kitchen whilst others retreated to the reading room, Hailey sought out a certain dark wizard for a personal talk of her own that afternoon, and discovered his whereabouts easily enough. Severus was seated in the sitting room in his favorite wingback chair with a young child occupying his lap: her sandy-haired, four-year-old son, Hayden. The boy's dark eyes carried a certain Snape family trait for which Hailey was quite proud. Like that of his mother, and grandfather with whom he was quietly conversing, the boy possessed near-black eyes that were, at times, difficult to read.

Not today, however.

Hailey watched the pair of them at a distance, smiling thoughtfully at the well-recognized deep register of her father speaking animatedly to her son, whose attention was clearly enraptured by whatever Severus was saying. He seemed to be sharing a personal story with Hayden, whose eyes were widened in excitement.

Finally, Hailey crept into the sitting room and took a seat on a worn, green sofa to partake in listening to the wizard's tale, but it seemed she was too late, for Severus stopped speaking and the two of them peered over at her rather curiously.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

"No," Severus answered with a delicate smirk.

"Granddad was telling me about when he first met Great Granddad and Great Grandma," Hayden explained, crinkling his nose as his gaze turned back to Severus. "A long, _long_ time ago."

"No need to rub it in," Severus growled, though amused, jabbing the little boy in the ribs; he cackled at being tickled.

Hailey smiled and shook her head. "It's a pretty intense story, isn't it, Hayden?"

"Yes, Mummy." A wry smile that was eerily reminiscent to both his mother's and Hermione's surfaced. "I think Granddad was scared of Great Granddad."

Severus narrowed his eyes in challenge. "I most certainly was _not_ scared."

Both Hailey and Hayden shared a boisterous laugh, which only caused Severus to sneer and tickle the child with more force. He eventually pried himself free of his grandfather's clutches and ran to Hailey for protection. She scooped him into her arms with an all-consuming hug.

"Are you hungry, Hayden?"

"Yes, Mummy!"

"Why don't you go to the kitchen and see if Daddy can fix you a snack."

"A cookie?" Hayden asked imploringly.

"Oh, very well!"

As the boy skipped away across the hallway, Severus let out a burdensome sigh. "You give in to that boy far too easily, Hailey."

"Speak for yourself, Dad!" she snickered to a freshly red-faced Severus. "You gave in to us quite a lot, as I recall!"

Severus turned away from her, his lips tightly pursed together. "I did nothing of the sort."

It was more of a defeated mumble than any sort of defensive statement. Hailey willingly laughed at his expense and waited for his attention to return to her. Quietly, she encouraged him to accompany her with a toss of her head.

"Care to take a walk with me, Dad?"

"Now? It's going to rain."

Hailey rolled her eyes as she leaped to her feet. "Whenever you say it's going to rain, it doesn't."

"That isn't true," he retorted back, but he was already agreeing to her suggestion by rising to his feet as well.

Silently, he followed his daughter out of the sitting room and down the hall to the backdoor. A glimpse at the sky above showcased a clump of darker, more sinister-looking clouds.

_Perhaps Dad's right after all_, Hailey pondered as the two fell into synch with one another as they strolled down a wooded path that led to the playground she and her sisters used to frequent often as kids.

"How do you think Mum's holding up?"

"Better," Severus answered, his eyes focused on a light breeze that picked up around them. "It was harder for your mother watching his decline. There's a relief that comes when it's all over."

"Really?" Her voice had grown so quiet that Severus stirred beside his daughter; he eyed her over with concern. "I can't... I can't even imagine feeling 'relieved' if you or Mum passed."

Severus found himself halting their walk without meaning to. Hailey paused along with him and turned to face her father. He hadn't noted her tearing up before now, but her eyes had grown glassy and hauntingly sad; it wrenched his heart in two, recalling such a familiar, grief-stricken look from her from the past.

"No one should be made to suffer at the end of their life, Hailey. Believe me, there is a comfort that comes when the struggle is over."

Hailey lowered her eyes. "I suppose so..." Severus searched her face with affectionate consideration, but waited for Hailey to finish her thought. With an encompassing sadness, her eyes came back to his. "Granddad's death got me thinking about... About you. About my first year at Hogwarts, and everything that happened..."

"Hailey..." Severus started to reach for his Hermione lookalike, but she emotionally pushed him away with a firm shake of her head, evidently trying to keep her composure in check.

"I - I know it's selfish, Dad, but I can't help it. It made me think of how you told me you were... That you were dying; that you were going to leave me. I thought I'd buried that awful memory a long time ago but I guess... I guess I haven't ever fully recovered from it."

Hailey furiously wiped at her eyes, but this time, she allowed Severus to gently pull her into his arms, where she succumbed and wept softly into his chest. After allowing her a moment or two to cry openly, Severus spoke, after collecting his thoughts, "Sometimes death forces us to relive things we'd rather forget." He embraced her tighter. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I never meant to put you and your sisters through that ordeal, and I only did so when I was certain the end was near, or I wouldn't have done it at all."

"I know, Dad; I know." Hailey pulled back to wipe her nose with a handkerchief Severus had extracted from his pocket. "It wasn't easy for you either; I understand. It was just so hard... And seeing Granddad like that... It's just all caught up with me."

"That's understandable," he offered gently, leaning closer to her.

Hailey's lower lip quivered as she peered up into his face. "I don't want to lose you again, Dad; you or Mum. I need you both. We all do."

Severus swallowed hard, fighting back the wave of appreciation that tugged so greatly at his heart at that moment, and all because of his daughter's expression of such need of him, even now. He lightly brushed the top of her forehead with a kiss.

"You don't have to worry about that for a long time, Hailey. Don't dwell on such things. _Please, sweetheart._ Your mother has done the same thing the past few days, and I wish she wouldn't."

"I know," Hailey confessed in a mournful whisper. "We've discussed it amongst us, too; Lily, Surina, and Jeannie as well."

Severus couldn't stop himself from hissing his disapproval. "Well, put it out of your minds, would you? You girls are stuck with your mother and me for a long time yet. Someday you'll be wishing for us to kick the bucket and get out of your hair."

"_Dad!_" Hailey's mouth fell open, horrified. "We will most certainly _not!_ Don't say things like that!"

"If it gets you to stop thinking on such matters that don't deserve your moping, then I'll offer them more often."

Hailey, though her eyes were still watery, slapped Severus's arm and shot him a playful smile. "Please don't, Dad!"

"Very well. Are you through?"

Hailey broke into laughter, much to the wizard's satisfaction. "Yes, all right, _fine!_"

Severus seized her close and brought a protective arm around her shoulder as they veered back towards the house. "Remember the good times, Hailey; the moments that make you smile. That's what your Grandfather would've wanted, and it's what your mother and I would wish for you girls, too, when the time comes. Until then, you have us. I promise."

A shorter arm crept around Severus's back, a curly head leaning sweetly and appreciatively into his shoulder. "Thank you, Dad," she replied softly as the breeze picked up and a drizzle began to fall. "You're right. You're _always_ right."

* * *

*** A play on a quote by an unknown that reads, _"A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart."_**

**A/N #2: I hope this was a profound read? *nods towards Review Box with puppy eyes***

**Also, a shameless plug: I recently posted my prompt written a few months back for the SSHG Promptfest on LiveJournal, _A Series of Fortunate Events_. Feel free to check it out and let me know your thoughts on that piece, too, if you'd like!  
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	19. A Day in the Life of Jeannie

**A/N: Wow, thank you so much to everyone who responded to the last one-shot! Your words were reflective and heartwarming to receive, however unfortunate some of your own personal experiences in dealing with death and tragedy may have been. It's _these_ sort of connections I can only hope to transcend through my writing, so it's really nice when that actually occurs. _Thanks again for your feedback on that very personal piece!_  
**

**This one-shot is quite fluffy by comparison, and not as, perhaps, "action packed" as some of you may be wanting to read, but I do hope it offers a thoughtful glimpse once more into the Snape family's world. It's been completed for a while but took a great deal more time to edit than I anticipated.  
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******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me.**

* * *

**A Day in the Life of Jeannie**

_Severus and Jeannie spend a day together. What will they get up to?_

_(I've been wanting to write one of just the two of them for a while, so this one-shot is my own prompt and happens to meet **BritMonkey**'s request as well for a little story about Severus and Jeannie. I hope you enjoy it!)_

* * *

Severus lazily yawned and stretched his wiry arms over his head, echoing a satisfied, though sleep-induced, sigh into the room. He had been fighting off falling back to sleep for the good part of an hour now but was too tired yet to emerge from the comforts of his warm bed, where he lay in pacifying solitude, listening to the comforting sounds of two female voices that trickled down the hallway towards his and Hermione's bedroom. Muffled shuffling could be detected in the kitchen, informing the comfortably reclining wizard that his wife was presently cooking breakfast and conversing with their littlest one, who, too, was awake and chattering away as cheerfully as she always did.

Although he couldn't make out what exactly the two were conversing about, their voices were pleasing to hear all the same, enough to lull him back to sleep if he so wished. Ever since his three elder children had left home, Jeannie had provided an enormous comfort to her parents, and yet, filled a void all her own. As Severus tried to listen intently to whatever it was his youngest was prattling on about, he couldn't help but mull over each of his daughters individually, and ponder the three who were away at Hogwarts...

_And Merlin knows _what_ they're getting up to._

Severus smirked sluggishly against his pillow, focusing his attention again on that of his youngest child. Hermione had left the bedroom door open a crack to give Severus fair warning whenever Jeannie might approach to wake him up this morning, and the mouth-watering aroma of fried eggs and bacon soon penetrated the air, though Severus easily re-shut his eyes, too spent to contend with his growling stomach. Well-aware that he didn't have much time left to himself before Jeannie would come pouncing into the room, intent on waking him to start their day together, Severus tried to fall back asleep.

It had become a bit of ritual ever since Severus's retirement that Jeannie awoke him in the mornings, just as her siblings had routinely done before her. Whilst Severus often feigned a grouchy disposition over the whole affair, privately, the Slytherin would gladly receive said ritual each and every morning for as long as it lasted, and no matter how much his worn body yearned for sleep.

Two days out of the week, Jeannie stayed home from Muggle daycare, mostly in an effort for her parents to save money financially, but also because Severus wanted what free time he now had to spend with their youngest. Working at Hogwarts during the years when his older children were little had been emotionally trying on the whole family, so much so that Severus was determined to make up for it in the case of Jeannie in whatever way that he could manage.

Sighing wearily, Severus's arms fell slack against the scrunched pillows that cradled his head. His limbs sunk farther into the comforting sheets that bundled and twisted around his lax form, easing what little discomforts remained from the much sought-after cure that had come the wizard's way only a year ago.

To be alive, with his family and well rested, was a glorious thing—something Severus Snape would_ never_ take for granted as long as he lived.

Just before he could properly dose off again, Jeannie's shrill of lighthearted giggles fought their way through Severus's sleepy conscience, forcing his heavy-lidded eyes open after what felt like mere seconds but was really several minutes. "Wake up, Daddy! Wake up!" chimed the five-year-old witch, now bouncing on the bed at his side. She scooted closer to wrap her dainty arms around Severus's neck. "Mummy's going to work, Daddy! Time to get up!"

Severus grumbled drowsily beneath the blankets. "Five more minutes?" _Wishful thinking, Severus._

Jeannie snickered a 'fat chance' sort of laugh and pulled the covers back to reveal the man's grumpy, though languid, scowl. It may have very well been a rueful thought to hope for more sleep, but Jeannie fought her way underneath the pile of blankets and huddled up against Severus's chest, smiling slyly up at him and stretching her hand to reveal five tiny fingers.

"Five minutes," she repeated, her smile morphing into a stern sneer that reveled his own, "but no more, Daddy."

Amused, Severus quirked an eyebrow. "Yes, Ma'am." His daughter apparently couldn't hold such a serious expression, for she proceeded to giggle into his ear as she settled herself within his snug embrace.

Another figure emerged out of the corner of Severus's eye: Hermione, who had suddenly manifested from the edge of their four-poster bed, looking smugly satisfied with her husband's tousled appearance, and in high spirits as she reached down to touch his chest. "I charmed your breakfast, love; it should stay warm for at least an hour or so."

Severus silently thanked her by reaching out and tugging at her wrist, gently easy Hermione onto the bed beside him. He then gathered her smaller hand in his and held it close.

"Care to join us?" he prodded, raising eager eyebrows at her.

Hermione flushed at the idea, chuckled quietly, and shook her head. "Don't tempt me, Mister, would you?"

"Stay, Mummy!" Jeannie, too, encouraged, grinning up at her mother with that captivating smile that both her parents found difficult to dismiss. "_Please?_"

"Oh, stop it, both of you!" Biting back more laughter, Hermione bent down to kiss them each goodbye, her lips lingering on Severus's mouth, whom she took the liberty of snogging rather adamantly, grabbing hold of his bottom lip before releasing it with a playful _pop_. "You're an evil tease, you know that?" she added close to his face, catching the humorous flicker in Severus's dark eyes.

"Your loss, my dear," he purred in return, earning a redder blush from his wife.

"_Tosser!_"

Severus buried a tantalizing smile behind their daughter's thick, black curls and inhaled a whiff of Jeannie's child-like scent as he drifted into a comfortable repose against the sheets. Hermione's face softened at the understated gesture of affection. Moments like this morning's, no matter how common they were in her family's household, maintained a certain sway over Hermione's senses that routinely left her smiling. Her eyes darted back and forth between the pair of them—father and daughter reclining together, each pale in complexion with equally striking, raven-colored locks. Although Severus's nose was long and broad, whilst Jeannie's was buttoned and small, and much like Hermione's own, it was those penetrating black eyes of hers that identified her as Severus Snape's daughter—veiled as the night sky, rich and deep and ever unassuming.

"So, what's on the agenda today, Jeannie?" she asked warmly as she twirled a soft strand of the little witch's hair through her fingers.

Jeannie's facial features contorted, concentrating hard as she peered up at Severus, who returned her attention ingenuously. "Hmm, we'll go to the park?" she suggested, to which Severus gave his approval with a slight nod.

"Yes."

"And we'll brew, Daddy?"

"_I_ will brew; _you_ can assist me and watch, little one."

"Okay! Um... We'll practice flying?"

Severus blinked and raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yes, Daddy! I want to fly_ high_ this time! Higher than ever!"

Hermione snickered at her husband's visible hesitancy and subsequent eye roll. "We shall see," he muttered sleepily.

Both Severus and Hermione understood—silently, rather—that Jeannie had a habit of getting her way, though. She apparently did, too, for the shrewd witch nestled her face against Severus's neck and didn't issue a whine or complaint, as her older sisters most definitely would have done.

"Well, have fun, you two," Hermione whispered sweetly; she lingered a moment to tuck the sheets around their faces, neither of whom said a word as she did so. Severus's eyes had already closed. "Don't play too hard, Jeannie. And give Daddy another five minutes, all right?"

"But it's already _been_ five minutes, Mummy!" Jeannie moaned in protest. With an austere glance from Hermione, however, she sighed agreeably and kept still. "_Okay._ Five more minutes, Daddy."

"Aren't I fortunate?" Severus mumbled back, his arm loosening around Jeannie beneath the covers.

With that endearing sight in mind, Hermione quietly took her leave, smiling over her shoulder as she exited the room. "Have fun, you two! See you later!"

* * *

Breakfast passed peacefully—enough—with Jeannie jabbering on excitedly about their morning plans whilst Severus basked in the girl's animated chatter silently. To the clever child, there was an unmistakable glint of fascination present behind her father's eyes that an outsider would never have picked up on but for which she well understood. She may have been young, but Jeannie Molly Snape was well-attuned to the wizard's subtleties, understanding his gentler behavior and softer expressions better than most adults.

"Maybe I'll see Robbie today!" she exclaimed once Severus was through eating and wrapping his traveling cloak around his shoulders. Afterwards, he bent down to aid Jeannie in putting on her own fall coat.

"Perhaps. It's chilly this morning, though, Jeannie; he may not be there."

Robbie was one of the few Muggle children Jeannie had befriended—and maintained an attachment to—from going to the park on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Severus, though it had taken a bit of warming up on the boy's part before they ever became truly compatible, particularly after Jeannie had mistakenly introduced herself by levitating a bouncy ball towards the boy when it had rolled over to where she was playing in a sandbox all by herself. Severus was relieved that Robbie's mother had been too distracted with other catty mothers on the playground to take notice of what had transpired, though he would have gladly Obliviated the incident from her mind if she had.

Through continuous lessons with Severus and Hermione, Jeannie was learning steadily to better control her magic, but irrepressible urges such as_ that_ memorable one on the playground that day had set Severus's teeth on edge. To him, it was only a matter of time before Robbie, once discovering that his sweet daughter was "different" from other children, would go scrambling in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, Severus and Hermione had seen it all before. As warm and endearing as Jeannie was, she was also of a much higher intelligence and maturity than other children, whether they were of Muggle descent or came from a magical family.

Severus sucked in a breath anytime Jeannie mentioned a new playground friend, for it took very little effort before his daughter found herself an outcast. Ever curious, however, and with a determination that daily astounded her parents, Jeannie carried on. It was a thoughtful aspect of his daughter's ever fascinating personality that repeatedly weighed heavily on Severus's mind, including that morning as he and Jeannie made their way to the Muggle playground not far from home—a short distance through a couple extensive, countryside backyards that brought them to the abandoned park, where Jeannie's friend was nowhere to be found today.

"I'm going to go down the slide, Daddy!" Jeannie squealed; her hand dropped out of his and her tiny legs sprang forward, eager to play.

Severus was secretly relieved to find no other parents around this morning. He rarely spoke to any of them anyhow, unless they happened to pay Jeannie a compliment or a kind word. His rather intimidating appearance seemed to keep the Muggles at bay as much as it did witches and wizards in his own world, and these folks weren't privy to his scandalous past.

Severus would often spend his time, aside from admiring his daughter playing, humoring himself with the sidelong wary glances his brooding impression earned from the other parents. Jeannie seemed not to notice the unpleasant whispers or suspicious looks her father garnered, but then, Severus and Hermione suspected that the little girl was far more attuned to such ill behavior than she let on.

Today, however, there was none of that to be found, which both father and daughter were privately grateful for. "Watch me, Daddy!" Jeannie squeaked each time she slid down the slide, her hands high above her head and her body hovering once she reached the bottom, using her magic to stay levitated a moment or two longer before she touched the ground, laughing proudly at her accomplishment.

Severus smirked from his perch on a nearby bench, casually admiring the little witch as she continued to entertain him with her magical capabilities. It wasn't long before Jeannie requested that he push her on the swings—an act that regularly garnered less than favorable reactions from other parents if they were around, who deemed the wizard's fretful antic of swinging his daughter too high in the air 'unsafe.'

With none of those overbearing parents in sight, though, Severus was free to indulge Jeannie as he so wished, sending her sky high into the air and causing her to screech excitedly for more. "Higher, Daddy!" she repeated over and over, shrieking at the top of her lungs. "_Higher!_"

After two eventful hours of swinging and romping around on the playground, Jeannie consented to go home to allow Severus some time to do some potion-making. On their brisk walk back to the house, Jeannie scooped her hand through his, skipping along to keep up with Severus's much wider strides. "Daddy?" she asked halfway home, peering up at the wizard wishfully. "Can I help you brew?"

Severus softly agreed. "Yes, you can, and you can also keep an eye on Triton for me," he added, referring to the mischievous black feline that was such a fixture in the Snape household. The cat had replaced Crookshanks many years ago and, in Severus's opinion, he was even _more_ scheming than his predecessor. Hermione, naturally, disagreed.

"Triton's a good kitty!" Jeannie snickered at the low snarl Severus projected.

"He's a _conniver._ You watch him for me, all right?"

"Yes, Daddy!"

Knowing that the wretched feline had a habit of getting into Severus's personal storage unit and general work space whenever he brewed, having Jeannie handy was a welcoming extra pair of hands. As such, Severus wasn't surprised when, later on that morning, Jeannie grew bored with helping him mix ingredients or whisking the stirring rod over and over and opted for her coloring book and entertaining Triton instead.

Perching herself comfortably at the opposite end of Severus's work station, and seated on a stool to be eye level, Jeannie giggled every so often when the page she was coloring sprouted to life, dancing about for her before going still once more. Triton, meanwhile, pawed for the little witch's constant attention and eventually settled himself on top of several of her markers, watching his tiny mistress, as well as his older master, through a set of intelligent yellow eyes.

Unlike in years past, when brewing alone for hours on end had been Severus's lonely ritual, the wizard appreciated having his wife or children present when he worked in his laboratory. Sure, they sometimes got in the way of his concentration, or talked too much to the point of aggravation, but their warm presence certainly beat the years of desolate isolation he had once known, and believed would never change.

Thus, Severus rarely complained when one of his children or Hermione entered his Potions lab, hellbent on talking his ear off whilst he brewed. Today, Jeannie hummed contentedly, disrupting the otherwise quiet atmosphere, but it was a welcoming sound to Severus nonetheless. He wouldn't complain or find it a nuisance.

For the next several hours, their time together passed in such a way, much as it always did.

Finally, Severus ceased working once the room had reached an uncomfortable temperature that could no longer hold his concentration. His hair was now properly greasy and his brow laden with sweat from hovering over a series of steaming cauldrons for too long a time. Quietly, he turned his attention to the buzzing child on the opposite end of the table, who remained otherwise engaged in her own entertaining antics for passing the time.

"Lunch?" he suggested; Jeannie peered up from her coloring book with a concurring, enchanting smile that seemed to always melt the stress lines on the wizard's face.

"Yes, Daddy! I'm hungry!" As she made to hop down from her stool, her black eyes widened, projecting a savoring look. "Can we have cupcakes?"

"_Cupcakes?_" Severus arched a suspicious eyebrow as he hung up his lab apron. "Sweet-toothed bugger. You need to eat something _healthy_ first."

Jeannie swayed sheepishly with her hands held behind her back, pondering Severus's proposal. "Okay... And _then_ a cupcake, Daddy?"

Severus's mouth broke into an amused smirk as he briefly pulled the witch into his arms to capture her cheek with a quick kiss. "Perhaps," he answered softly, placing her back on the ground as though she weighed nothing at all.

Jeannie pranced ahead of him up the stairs, with Triton following closely behind at the witch's heels, his furry tail high in the air. _She gets her way far too often, Severus. You need to stop this_, he reflected as he climbed the stairs behind her.

Lunch passed much the same as breakfast had, with Jeannie leading—dominating, rather—the conversation, chatting incessantly whilst the cloaked, not-all-that inauspicious dark figure next to her silently sipped his tea and kept his humored focus on her.

Jeannie placed her half-consumed sandwich down on the platter, pausing mid-chatter to eye Severus over more fervently. "_Now_ can I have a cupcake, Daddy?" she inquired; it had been asked several times throughout her sit-down meal, much to Severus's growing dissatisfaction. He narrowed his eyes sternly.

"Two more bites."

"_I did!_" she squeaked and adamantly pointed to her sandwich, as if the proof were right under his large nose.

Severus frowned over his cup of tea. "No, you haven't, Jeannie. You think I haven't been watching you?"

Jeannie sighed dramatically, though her countenance remained amusingly confident. "I took two bites, Daddy! I did! I _really_ did!"

Severus let out a light growl that nearly broke Jeannie's resolve. "Two. More. Bites."

"_Ohhh!_"

"You heard me." Severus glanced at his daughter sidelong as she quietly debated over giving in or holding out, much like a Gryffindor rather than a Slytherin. Ultimately, she caved, though Severus could perceive the wheels turning behind the eyes, informing him that this mental fight wasn't over.

_Most definitely a Slytherin_, he mused to himself, finishing his tea with satisfaction.

After conceding to the little witch's request for a cupcake, which she devoured greedily and rather messily, the two retreated to the family reading room for a time, where Severus indulged his littlest in several short wizarding tales that she picked out herself. Securing herself comfortably against his chest in Severus's preferred wingback chair next to the cozy fireplace, Jeannie's small form slowly eased into his, her head eventually finding purchase against Severus's shoulder as they read together. He could sense her growing increasingly more tired as he read, and, mid-way through a third book about a young wizard's trek through an uncharted land, Jeannie dosed off, her head slumping against him as she proceeded to softly snore.

Well-accustomed to this delicate situation, Severus carefully eased Jeannie into his arms and laid her down flat on a couch, transfiguring a pile of blankets and pillows for the sleeping child and tucking her in for an hour or two-long nap. _Hopefully_, he mused. Severus then slunk back into his chair to read his own material, watching over his daughter quietly as she slept.

It was in thoughtful, introverted moments such as these, which were now routine to the former Death Eater, and for which he had gone through many times over with his older children, that gave Severus considerable pause. He couldn't prevent himself from reflecting regularly on how dramatically his life had changed (for the better), particularly when observing little Jeannie fast asleep, curled up beneath the blankets that he had casted for her, with her large curls swept charmingly across her fluttering eyelids.

Just to be in any member of his family's company was an enormous comfort—a confidential delight that Severus was ever grateful for. He contented himself with watching his daughter doze for a time before reluctantly tearing his eyes away from her to focus on his reading material, though, occasionally, his attention reverted back to the miracle child dosing across from him, drifting in a pleasant dreamworld.

Jeannie awoke an hour and a half later, pining for a snack as she slunk off of the couch and into Severus's lap again, bringing a few of the transfigured blankets with her. With tired-lidded eyes, she bundled herself into Severus's arms, desiring to be close, sensing a slight, affectionate nudge to her forehead by the tip of her father's hooked nose.

"Hungry, little one?" he whispered close to her ear.

"Mmmhmm," she mumbled, burying the blankets up to her neck.

"How about some pumpkin juice?"

"Yes, Daddy," she agreed sluggishly, issuing no complaint as Severus sat up and perched her head against his shoulder. "And a cupcake?" she tested ever so quietly, which stopped Severus short in his tracks.

"Oh, no you don't," he hissed with a little less tenderness, earning a sweet-filled giggle from the still waking witch. "You've already had one today, you little bugger."

"_Please_, Daddy?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'll be extra good, I promise!" she begged, hiding a wry smile behind all of Severus's spindly, long hair.

Severus snorted to himself and made his way to the kitchen, carrying a bundled Jeannie in tow, who continued to plead for what she wanted through back and forth, lighthearted banter. Ultimately, Severus was able to coax her into a healthier alternative, but not without the witch trying to sneak out of her chair numerous times, only to be magically levitated back to her seat. She cackled each time she was forced back into her chair, and even more so on account of Severus's disgruntled expression with every summoning.

The rest of their afternoon together was spent indoors, as a rain had begun to fall soon after Jeannie awoke from her nap, casting out her flying lesson for the time being. Father and daughter passed the time easily in one another's company, Severus humoring his daughter with more books, practicing wandless magic, and even engaging in a child's version of Wizard's chess.

Severus, entirely unfazed by how spending time with his children routinely lifted his spirits, offered Jeannie a series of impromptu smiles and deep-seated laughter, patient in his instructions and attentiveness in listening to whatever the little one had to say.

When Hermione returned home from work late that afternoon, she found the curly-haired five-year-old and robes-clad wizard seated on the floor in the sitting room, with Severus's cloak flagged out at his sides and his back perched against their shabby green couch. Jeannie sat on her knees a few feet away, and they appeared to be practicing what she could only assume was Legilimency, for their knitted brows and concentrated scowls seemed to suggest such intensive mind training, particularly as neither was saying anything but staring intently into each other's eyes. They cautiously broke their focus to greet Hermione, however, soon after she came Flooing through the grate.

"Hi, Mummy!"

Hermione bent down to ensnare Jeannie with a fierce hug, who then scooted herself comfortably into Severus's lap. Smiling warmly down at her family, Hermione plopped down on the couch and eyed the pair of them curiously.

"So, how did your day go?"

"Good!" Jeannie answered for the both of them, leaning into a quietly contented Severus, who had most of his face concealed behind her thick locks. "We read stories! And played Wizard's chess!"

"Oh? And who won?"

"Me!" Jeannie giggled proudly before turning to her father with suspicion.

Hermione's lips slipped into a smile. "Is that so?" She shot her husband a gentle 'you-let-her-win' inquiring look that he didn't return.

"And I got to help Daddy brew!"

"You got _bored_, more like," Severus corrected the little witch, though his tone was charmingly subdued and not at all marked by disappointment.

Hermione chuckled. "Sounds like you two were quite busy?"

"Yes, Mummy!"

Jeannie abruptly excused herself, hopping out of Severus's lap to go fetch something from the reading room that neither of her parents heard.

In a rare moment of alone time, Hermione willingly inched closer on the sofa and glided an arm across Severus's shoulders. "You all right?" she murmured, peering down at him with raised eyebrows.

The teasing in her voice merited a raised eyebrow from her husband as well, whose eyes glinted up at her before settling into a softer regard. "I survived, as I always do."

Hermione smirked, amused, and shook her head. She leaned down for a proper greeting, her possessive hand sliding from Severus's broad shoulders to rest behind his head, her fingers scrunching into his tresses as his mouth opened to receive hers. Gently, Severus reached up and pulled Hermione's face downward to deepen their heated kiss, the couple quickly becoming lost in the taste and texture of one another's lips.

It wasn't long before a tiny squeak from the opposite end of the room disrupted Severus's and Hermione's passionate snogging, and Hermione was the first to hastily rear back, choking back laughter as her eyes darted over Severus's head towards their daughter. Severus followed his wife's attention to Jeannie, now standing in the middle of the hallway with blue-tainted frosting caking her mouth and button nose. She was licking her fingers satisfactorily, giving her parents a crafty grin that caused Hermione to lose her steely composure. Only Severus was able to keep his expression serious at the young witch's conniving little scheme.

"_Jeannie!_" Hermione scolded, though her laughter and wide smile made chastising the child rather hopeless. "What are you doing getting into the cupcakes _again?_"

Severus narrowed his eyes, but his evident suspicion did little to sway the little witch presently sucking the frosting off of her fingers. "Going to the reading room, weren't you?" he intoned with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes, Daddy," she giggled in reply, entirely unaffected.

"And found your way into the kitchen instead, did you?"

"_Maybe_ Daddy..."

Hermione snickered with more gusto, and Jeannie readily joined in. Unabashedly, she strolled into the sitting room, approaching her father with a newly suppressed smile that she was clearly fighting to contain. She stopped before him and tried not to avert her eyes.

"I love you, Daddy," she issued after a short pause between them, bearing her frosted-covered teeth at him.

Severus's raven eyes flickered, astounded. "Why, you conniving little toe rag!" came that low, rumbling growl, but with an understated playfulness that his daughter wasn't deterred by.

With little effort, Severus scooped Jeannie into his arms and smothered her neck with kisses, pretending to gnaw on her skin. Jeannie squealed with delight, shrilling desperately at the top of her lungs as Severus proceeded to tickle and hold her captive in his arms.

Hermione peered down at the scene before her, laughing along as she watched the scene unfold. If there was one thing she was certain of,—and, naturally, there were _many_ things the Gryffindor in her was confident that she knew well—it was that Jeannie had not only been an ever-growing wonder since unexpectedly entering their lives, but she had also brought with her a peace and acceptance that Severus didn't fully possess until her existence.

Like their three older children, all special and important in their own right, Jeannie Snape was a godsend. Unlike her other siblings, however,_ she_ had been the one to ultimately bring her father a solitude that extended beyond his strenuous professional life. It was little wonder, therefore, Hermione pondered to herself in moments such as this, that Severus was so at ease these days, in better health than he had ever been since she had known him, and in a livelier frame of mind than she could hardly remember before they had first started a family years ago.

_Yes... _Hermione reflected with an appreciative smile._ Jeannie _is_ a godsend. _

* * *

**A/N #2: Yeah, I know, it's pure fluff, but I hope you still liked it.  
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	20. Reflection and Redemption

**A/N: Thanks again for the lovely reviews, favs, and alerts! They mean so much to me, so I hope you'll keep letting me know what you think of these pieces! If you're new to the _Unquestionable Love_ saga_,_ I encourage you to read the _original_ and the _Prequel_ first, as these one-shots directly relate to those stories and will give away spoilers otherwise.  
**

**As a reminder, I still have a lot of prompts to fulfill, including some of my own, and I'm always game for more. :)**

******Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyrighted to and belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing in her sandbox and ****own none of her associated characters. New characters belong to me.**

* * *

**Reflection and Redemption**

_Hermione meditates on Severus's life, both past and present._

_(Prompt from **gwendlyn**, who asked for a one-shot of Hermione looking through photographs of Severus and reflecting on his life then versus now. I hope I've done this justice! Considering the time frame, it turned out a little angstier than I'd anticipated.)_

* * *

"What on earth are you doing, Hermione?"

A certain curly-haired witch smiled considerately at the utterance of that all-too-familiar growl of confusion and raised her head. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of their reading room hadn't been her intention that afternoon, but for the good part of the day, and as the sun eventually floated behind the rolling English hills, her mind had been quite preoccupied with the very wizard standing puzzled in the doorway. Her sharp senses hadn't been consumed by books for a change, much to Hermione's _own_ shock, but it wasn't an unwelcome change.

_Not one bit._

Having expected to find his wife surrounded by her usual stocks of tomes but, instead, discovering a gazillion moving photographs spread out around her left Severus a bit...perplexed. His one arched eyebrow acted as an indicator that an explanation was in order.

"What does it look like I'm doing, love?"

_Answering my question with a question._ Severus rolled his eyes. Considering how often he retorted with such a taunting response himself, he supposed he couldn't badger Hermione for that. All the same, he recognized many of the photographs scattered about their long, earthy-colored rug, and the result unsettled him.

"You stored those away, as I recall..." he murmured, taking a reluctant step into the room.

Hermione's smile softened at the wizard's visible uneasiness. "Yes, I did. I came across these this morning as I was looking for something for Surina, and I dragged them out to have a look." Pausing to assess her husband's reaction, which was, for the moment, inscrutable, Hermione blushed apologetically. "You don't mind, do you?"

Severus relaxed his shoulders and withdrew his hand from the doorknob, scanning the photographs at an awkward glance. "I suppose not," he muttered, frowning.

His eyes halted on a faded image of his sixteen-year-old self—the onerous scowl and acute, dark eyes conveying the ultimate tragedy of his future years to come. It seemed as though from another lifetime now, and Severus's eyes communicated as much as they stared down at the photograph, overwhelmed.

Hermione's gaze trailed to what her husband was looking at, laying several inches outside of her grasp. When her eyes drew back to Severus's, the expression he wore was uncertain, though evidently disturbed.

"Just please put them back where you found them when you're through."

Severus's voice was much softer than before, strained and ill-at-ease. He swiftly turned his back to leave the room when Hermione called out to him, "There are a few here I'd like to show the girls." Severus angled his head but didn't meet her eyes. "That is, if you don't mind, love?"

"I'll leave that to your discretion."

Hermione's chest clenched. She understood how greatly Severus avoided any talk of his past when it came to their children. Sure, they were still too young to know many of the details, but their girls were bright, intuitive, and growing ever more curious about the parts of their father they didn't know. The fact that there were no photographs of him as a child or a teenager on display throughout the house, and none of his parents either as there were of Hermione's, was already questionable to Lily and Surina. It was only a matter of time before young Hailey would put forth the same natural inquiries, and one day one-year-old Jeannie would as well.

"Severus," Hermione gently called after him, but the black-haired wizard had slipped out of the room and shut the door, his boots echoing down the hallway to the entrance to his laboratory, from whence they disappeared.

_He'll come around_, Hermione told herself through a sad sigh. _He'll_ have _to._

Hermione quietly turned her attention to the various photographs strewn amongst her and reached for the image that her husband's eyes had been drawn to. It was an angry snapshot, that much was certain. Hermione could sense it from the underlying rejection and hurt perceivable in those listless young eyes that stared directly into the camera. Severus's argument with Lily had undoubtedly taken place prior to the photograph. Not only did her later-to-be husband look utterly miserable and wrongly spurned, but his eyes bore an unsettling amount of rage. The extent of Severus's fury, the timing of which also showed that he was well on his path to darkness, practically radiated off of the photograph.

It was both mesmerizing and uncomfortable for Hermione to look upon, and it wasn't long before she tossed it aside in lieu of a less edgy, yet still hard-hitting, picture that seized her attention. She picked it up and inspected the moving photograph at length.

It was a younger Severus this time, perhaps nine or ten years of age, with that well-defined nose that was too large and overbearing for his gaunt face—even as a child—and that long, messy hair that fell to his shoulders and was in desperate need of a trim. He was leaning forward, his hips angled slightly away from the camera, and employing those fine, black strands to conceal most of his face. That distinguished nose and dispirited eyes, however, peaked through the curtain of hair, uncertainty glimmering in his dark pupils.

The wobbliness of the camera suddenly righted itself and an angular, similar-appearing woman emerged at Severus's side, first her pale legs and then the rest of her frail body coming into view. She seated herself on the grass and gently inclined towards the shy boy. _Eileen Snape._ Severus's mother smiled and waved for the camera, but, to Hermione, it was a disjointed half-grin, offset by a pair of slim lips that had forced themselves to part into a smile. She recognized that dull expression for the very facade Severus wore many times in the early days of their relationship: that contrived smile that concealed so much resentment, bitterness, and suffering.

Seeing such a heavy reminder manifested through the source itself was disheartening, as well as disquieting to the growing heartache pressing on Hermione's chest. She quickly re-directed her focus to the timid, unsure-looking Severus in the photograph. Although his unfortunate youth had clearly been a drastic difference from their own children's upbringing, there was a tenderness and sweetness there, as subtle and overlooked as it would be to anyone else looking at the image but Hermione, that caused a tightness to form in her throat.

It was the _real_ Severus Snape, with all the insecurities, bashfulness, and self-doubt laid bare to the viewer, before the great spy would learn to camouflage his feelings to the point that no one knew his real side—until Hermione.

Hermione gently put the photograph aside, deciding that this was one image she could share with the children without risking a series of hair-raising questions in response. _They should know what their grandmother looks like_, Hermione insisted to herself. _Merlin knows how many times Lily and Surina have already asked..._

Silently, Hermione moved on to a handful of other dated photographs, some from Severus's early childhood, others from his late teens. Unsurprisingly, there were no photographs of him once he reached adulthood. However, one thing became unnervingly clear in the many hours Hermione had sorted through ghosts from Severus's past: the older the wizard grew, the more angry and troublesome those dark eyes became.

Another image that Hermione was particularly fond of and found herself analyzing at length was a single photograph from Severus's Hogwarts graduation. Severus stood in front of the cast iron gates, dressed rather finely in his school robes and graduating cap. His hair was still long and draped over his shoulders, though he seemed to have made an effort to comb it out for the occasion, or at least ensure that it wasn't as greasy against the sunlight that made him squint his eyes at the camera. He gripped his diploma between spindly fingers, his head held in a manner that Hermione could only describe as proud, though, to anyone else, it would have been more trying a look to decipher.

It was, perhaps, the_ only_ photograph Hermione had ever stumbled across from Severus's youth in which the sliver of smile he bore was actually prideful, and the expression his eyes held therein was secure and actually self-assured. It wouldn't last; that rare glimpse of pride in his intellectual accomplishments, such as in the case of this photograph, would be brief, fleeting. The thought nearly made Hermione's lower lip quiver in awe.

It registered to her the longer she stared at the image that_ this_ was the Severus Snape he could have been had things gone differently. Had he then, so misguided by his peers, his own ambitions, his black curiosities and a variety of heavy-handed blows, taken a more honorable path, _this_ might have been the result...

_Then again, he wouldn't be the man you know, Hermione... The complicated man you fell in love with... The Slytherin you came to respect and treasure..._

Hermione carefully placed the photograph in the growing pile she had gathered for the children. There weren't many, but this was a cherished moment—a sparse flicker of happiness from the man's otherwise miserable youth—that was well-worth sharing with their daughters. One day, Hermione knew that the children would come to better understand their father's grim, complicated past, but she also recognized that they needed to see that it wasn't _all_ doom and gloom, that there had been moments, as rare as they might have been, of hope and the wizard's own dreams for a brighter future.

Hermione twisted around to admire the mahogany writing desk a few feet away. The antique had belonged to her mother before she bestowed it on Hermione and Severus as a wedding gift. It conveniently faced a large window on the opposite wall that showed a picturesque scene of what lay beyond their front yard. An overcast light trickled into the space and handsomely outlined the dents in the wood, along with something else: a series of moving photographs.

More recent memories flooded every square inch of the edge of the desk—photographs of the girls in various stages of life, of a recent family trip to Holy Island, of Hermione and Severus standing together at the Burrow during one of Arthur and Molly Weasley's annual Christmas parties. Severus may not have been outright smiling in every picture, but those once murky clouds for eyes showed a contentedness and restored hope this time that spoke to Hermione's heart.

The way his arms protectively snaked around Hermione's waist, or the manner in which his nose buried itself sweetly in one of their children's hair, were the very evidence of the brighter future her husband had finally been granted. The result was comforting, allowing the tight ball in Hermione's throat to loosen at last.

_Yes... Things got so much better for him._

Hermione quietly extracted her wand and placed the scattered photographs back into the dusty boxes from whence they had come. She then took the remaining small pile of images in hand and levitated the boxes back to where she had found them, moving softly in her bare feet across the hallway. Rich potion scents seeped beneath the door that led to the basement laboratory. Hermione decided her husband would rather be alone right now than be bombarded by the photographs she had collected and, thus, she let the wizard be.

As she placed the last box away in storage, Hermione suddenly remembered the only photograph from Severus's childhood that she had kept close, despite all of his protests, that was currently on display in their bedroom. Moving fast, she crossed the narrow hallway to retrieve it. The girls had seen it plenty of times before, where it had always been propped on their mother's bedside table. It was the only photograph from Severus's past that any of the girls had known or familiarized themselves with. Hermione adored the photograph, but Severus had been horrified when he discovered it in her possession in the first years following their marriage.

Hermione had first snatched it up whilst Severus was locked away in Azkaban prison awaiting a possible trial following the end of the war. That dreary time at Spinner's End—alone—had been the worst months of the witch's life. She had found the photograph, along with the many others she had only today re-uncovered, whilst tidying up one of the unoccupied rooms in the old house.

Of all the images Hermione had unearthed that day, it was the specific, heart-wrenching picture of a six or seven-year-old malnourished Severus dressed in an oversized dirty coat and shoes that emphasized his scrawny, ghostly pale legs and stringy, jetblack hair that left Hermione so deeply moved. In the photograph, he peered directly into the camera and held up a levitated flower between cupped, long fingers. Those eyes weren't yet cryptic but wondrously open, unfurled like a precious bud. The photograph repeated the words the little wizard mouthed over and over as the flower hung in midair: "For you, Mummy."

It was an emotional example of the delicate sweetness and affectionate nature a young Severus Snape had once displayed so openly—at least, for his mother, whom he repeatedly tried to connect with and do well by. Hermione had immediately clung to the photograph, storing it away and breaking it out from time to time when Severus wasn't anywhere about to possibly glance over her shoulder. She suspected that he would be cross if he ever discovered it in her possession, but the clever witch was well prepared to argue her reasoning for keeping it if she had to.

Severus had chanced upon it after the image accidentally fell out of Hermione's pocket. She had kicked off her trousers rather hastily in an attempt to get a much-desired shower, not thinking anything of her clothes that had been haphazardly disposed of across their bedroom floor. Much to Severus's tidy aggravation, he had sought to rid their bedroom floor of his wife's abandoned clothing and knickers when he saw the dated photograph and froze in place, staring at it for a time as though it were dangerous to touch. Finally, he levitated it with his wand and confronted Hermione as soon as she emerged from the loo. To her relief, he hadn't been as vexed as much as disturbed by the discovery.

"Why would you want to hang onto this, Hermione?" he had pressed her more than once; each attempt at an explanation hadn't made the matter clearer to him, apparently.

"Because it's a lovely photograph, Severus!" she exclaimed in return, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's _you!_ As a boy! What's the bloody harm in holding onto a piece of your past, particularly when it's a _good_ one?"

Severus's tautened mouth slumped. "Hermione, there's nothing at all about this photograph that's worth you carrying it around in your ruddy pocket all the time, for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione furrowed her brow. "Why? Are you embarrassed?"

"Wouldn't _you_ be?" came Severus's surprising challenge through a disgruntled snarl; he waved the image before her to further stress his point. "I look like a neglected piece of trash! _It's pathetic!_"

Hermione reared back at that remark, as though she had been personally struck, and her mouth fell open in amazement. "Is that what you really think of yourself?" she murmured, to which he didn't hesitate to answer.

"_Yes!_"

"Oh, Severus..." Gently, Hermione extended her hand out to his that clamped the photograph too tightly. With some prying, she was able to ease it out of the wizard's emotional grip and cupped his fingers through hers. "That's not what _I_ see. Not at all, love. I see _you_ in this photograph. That's why I love it so much—your face, the openness of your expression, the honesty and affection. That's _you_, Severus. That's why I've held onto it for so long. It's a piece of you, from your past, that I adore. Please let me keep it?"

The stress lines on Severus's face eased marginally, but not the general tension in his stance. "I don't like it, Hermione. You_ must_ understand why I don't appreciate images of my past hanging around—"

"I _do_ understand, Severus. I meant you no disrespect by that. But this..." Hermione peered down at the rumpled photograph in her free hand, a thoughtful, small smile replacing the angst from moments ago. "I'm not willing to part with it, Severus._ I'm not._ Please don't make me."

Hermione's desperate look seemed to lessen his morbid reservations. He unloaded his answer with a heavy sigh and a resigned shake of his head, taking another moment to stare at the floor rather than at her.

"I don't understand, but very well. Just please don't keep it out—"

"I won't. I'll keep it in here, how about that?"

Severus raised an uneasy eyebrow. "Where?" he questioned with supposed mistrust, causing Hermione to shake off his apprehensions with a reassuring giggle.

"My side of the bed, all right?"

"What, in your dresser drawer?" he snorted.

"No," she quipped, her smile extending, "I intend to frame it." She paused to take in his reaction, which was decidedly mute. "You're wonderful," she added, laughing softly when he proceeded to roll his eyes at her.

"You're insane," he retorted back, allowing the witch to giggle louder and lean into him for a proper kiss of gratitude.

Hermione smiled warmly at the remembrance of that moment and snatched the now framed photograph from her bedside table. _Yes, the girls should look at this one, too, even if they've seen it a million times. Perhaps they'll come to understand, in time, why I love it so much..._

* * *

Severus slouched forward on the couch, and Hermione recognized instantly what the man was trying to hide: his unnecessary embarrassment. Lily and Surina, and on occasion Hailey when she wasn't distracted by the moving picture book in her hands, were sorting through the selected photographs Hermione was showing them from their father's past, admiring and commenting on each picture.

Seated next to him on the couch, and with each of the children seated on their knees in front of them before the coffee table, Hermione weaved strands of hair behind Severus's left ear, earning his attention by way of a curious eyebrow lift. His cheeks were brighter than usual, and flashed redder at the added attention from his wife.

Hermione offered him a tender smile and nodded towards the three little heads in front of them, each of whom had their backs towards their parents. Surina piped up first, "Daddy, you still have long hair in_ all_ of these!"

"Indeed, I do," he replied somewhat awkwardly, though the girls didn't pick up on the wizard's discomfort.

"Did you ever cut it short?"

"No, I never have."

"I like it! Don't ever cut it, okay?"

Severus gave a small smile towards the second Snape, who still had her back to him. "If you insist," he murmured, his tone subdued.

"You look happy in this one, Daddy," Lily chimed in, holding up the dated photograph from his Hogwarts graduation. How the child didn't find him a tad fearful in that picture was beyond Severus's comprehension, but then, perhaps he was missing something entirely...

"I suppose I was," was all he found he could say in response, grateful that eight-year-old Lily didn't read too much into that reply to inquire further.

Hailey suddenly held up the framed photograph and waved it towards him and Hermione. "I like this one! I like this one!"

Hermione giggled and bundled the bushy-haired witch closer. "I do, too, sweetie. I love that one."

Severus tried to ignore the burning sensation creeping onto his sunken cheeks. "Like mother, like daughter," he mumbled so quietly that it barely registered; both Hermione and her lookalike shot the wizard their own satisfied grins.

As the children settled into talking to one another about the photographs, Hermione took the opportunity at hand to nudge her husband and slink an arm around his back. "See?" she whispered into his ear, causing his eyelids to flutter. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I..."

"The children need to know where you came from, love. They should know what their grandmother looked like, too; what she was like, what you were like, your accomplishments and—"

"Yes, yes, I know," he muttered, hardly convinced. He shrunk away slightly from Hermione's embrace and kept his eyes centered on the back of their three daughters' heads. Hermione appraised him with a concerned frown, though, when Severus spoke again, his words surprised and relieved her nerves. "You know," he said, his voice a hushed whisper, "things turned out all right for me...in the end."

Hermione let out a shuddered breath; his reflection had been quite unexpected, and moved her more than she expected it to.

"It - It _did_ turn all right, didn't it, love?"

Severus's eyes swept over her face, a serenity present that was familiarly consoling. The tension in Hermione's facial muscles relaxed at _that look_—the one that could make her knees buckle and leave her lungs in short supply. His next words merely added to the soothing warmth that wrapped itself around her like a security blanket, only it was in love for_ him_, not for herself.

"I have no gripes or complaints. I know how fortunate I am to be here now—where I was never _expected_ to be—and I'm most grateful to be with you...and the girls..."

Hermione reached out and patted his knee. Severus's larger, calloused hand coiled around hers, keeping it firmly in place. "I know you are, love," Hermione assured him quietly.

The two stared at one another appreciatively for a long pause before Severus turned his head towards the backs of the miniature figures in front of them, all conversing softly, excitedly, as their parents looked on. A knowing smile curled Severus's lips, the result mediative and affectionate, just like the younger one in the photograph Hermione loved. He sucked in a deep breath and released the stress of the situation with a low exhale.

"In time, they'll come to know more." His hand inadvertently squeezed Hermione's. "I just hope I'll be ready to accept whatever their reactions may be."

"You talk already as if you'll fail, Severus. _Don't._"

"And if they _do_ resent me?"

It wasn't the first time Hermione had heard those exact reservations from her husband. Her lips lightly brushed his cheek, her face remaining intimately close to his.

"They won't, love, and we'll _help_ them to understand. It won't be easy, but try to have more faith in our girls and their regard for you. I do."

Severus's face glanced over that of his family, the tranquility of the moment still intact, though his eyes hinted at a relenting misgiving about the future. "Yes," he murmured, his voice a mixture of awe and uncertainty, "you do. I sincerely hope you're right."

Hermione nudged him again, this time with more emphasis, and smiled positively up at him. "I always am. Wait and see."

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it...**


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